Owner of Cheltenham Festival horse arrested in £28m crystal meth raid ‘removed’ from syndicate and facing life in prison

THE former owner of a Cheltenham Festival horse arrested in a record £28MILLION crystal meth seizure has been ‘removed’ from the syndicate behind the runner.

Nathan McDonnell, 43, was one of the co-owners of the Gavin Cromwell-trained Stumptown.

McDonnell has been kicked out of the syndicate that owned top racehorse Stumptown after his arrest in a record £28million crystal meth bust

He was part of the Furze Bush syndicate when the seven-year-old gelding won at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.

But the other members of the syndicate confirmed McDonnell, who was one of two men charged in the biggest crystal meth haul in Irish history, has now left.

In a statement on Thursday, the four remaining owners of the horse confirmed McDonnell had now ‘been removed from the syndicate’.

McDonnell, who owned a restaurant, had been a 10 per cent shareholder but was not an owner at the time of the horse’s entry for the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Festival, report the Irish Examiner.

They added none of the horse’s prize money ‘has ever been redistributed to shareholders’ since they became official owners in November 2021.

Stumptown’s £26,000 winnings from his Cheltenham win on New Year’s Day remain with Horse Racing Ireland.

Stumptown has won four of his 17 career races and earned prize money over £70,000.

The horse is currently third-favourite for the three-mile race on day one of the Festival.

Bookies make him a 10-1 chance for success – the same price as Michelle Mone’s controversial potential runner Monbeg Genius.

McDonnell was charged in Tralee District Court in Ireland last week with possession of drugs for sale or supply.

The charges carry a minimum ten-year prison sentence and maximum of life behind bars if found guilty.

His co-accused, James Leen, 41, is facing two charges of drug importation of crystal meth last October and the possession for sale or supply of crystal meth between October 27, 2023, and February 12, 2024.

McDonnell pleaded not guilty to the charge while Leen made no reply to each charge.

The court was told that customs officials examined a container in Cork port that was ‘purpose built’ to conceal drugs.

The court heard the enormous shipment was ‘almost impossible to find’.

Eventually, the court was told, a massive 543kg of crystal meth with an estimated street value of £28m was discovered inside.

Detective Sergeant Thomas Griffin of Listowel gardai said: “The seizure of the 543 kg of methamphetamine – otherwise known as crystal meth – is the largest recorded and has a street value of £28m.”