Latest news with #horseracing
The Sun
2 days ago
- General
- The Sun
Horse racing tips: Oisin Murphy can steer this 14-1 chance to glory for Andrew Balding
Read on for the selections FIVER FLUTTER Horse racing tips: Oisin Murphy can steer this 14-1 chance to glory for Andrew Balding SUN Racing's Saturday picks are below. Back a horse by clicking their odds. LONGSHOT KING'S LYNN (1.48 Haydock) He was better than this level in his pomp and Oisin Murphy gets back on board today. He likes this trip and looks a big price for a place. EACH-WAY THIEF LEOVANNI (2.23 Haydock) She had some smart form last season and trainer Karl Burke is in excellent nick. DURAN (2.40 York) He likes the Knavesmire and landed a battling success at Haydock last time out. Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who: Establishes time and monetary limits before playing Only gambles with money they can afford to lose Never chases their losses Doesn't gamble if they're upset, angry or depressed Gamcare – Gamble Aware – Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.
Irish Times
2 days ago
- General
- Irish Times
Charles Byrnes says no one hurting more than son Philip after ‘soft unseat' at Wexford
Trainer Charles Byrnes has said no one is hurting more than his son Philip following the jockey's controversial unseat from Redwood Queen at Wexford on Wednesday. The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board is carrying out an investigation into the incident that saw Philip Byrnes unseated from his father's runner at the final flight of a claiming hurdle race. Redwood Queen, who had drifted in betting for the contest, looked to have the race won until unshipping her rider. It allowed the odds-on favourite Beacon Edge to win. The incident has generated significant comment including immediately afterwards on Racing TV where it was described as a 'soft unseat' by one pundit although the race-day stewards at Wexford reviewed the unseating they took no further action. However, the IHRB has subsequently opted to carry out a review of the incident. READ MORE Lots of online discussion following the opening race at Wexford earlier, and our team look back at the incident — Racing TV (@RacingTV) Charles Byrnes defended his son on Friday, arguing it is clear what occurred at the final hurdle. 'It's obvious what happened. He was trying to get the mare to go in and pop it, because obviously she had the race won, and she came up out of his hands and blew him out of the saddle. There's no one hurting more than Philip about it,' the Co Limerick trainer said. He declined to comment further on the matter. Redwood Queen started a 13-2 shot for the race but traded at cramped odds 'in running' before Byrnes (25), was unseated. The IHRB declined to comment on the matter on Friday but a regulatory body spokesperson previously said: 'We note the position of the race-day stewards following their review of the incident. We can now confirm the matter is down for review by an IHRB senior racing official.' Redwood Queen was subsequently claimed out of the race by new trainer Cian Collins for €6,000.
Irish Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Irish racing needs to professionalise its disciplinary process to reassure public
Rather like a referee or a parking warden, being a voluntary race-day steward is a thankless task. Mostly, all they get out of it is lukewarm tea, a parking space and insults about their eyesight. Sometimes, though, there's a stonewall penalty or a car upside down on a zebra crossing. Like the day with Ta Na La at Wexford recently. Ta Na La, trained by Ted Walsh and racing in the colours of his wife Helen, made her debut over fences in a five-runner novice chase. Ridden by claiming jockey Shane O'Callaghan, Ta Na La travelled strongly throughout the race, jumped well and had only the odds-on favourite Aspire Tower in front of her on the run to the last. From there on, the finish was notable for O'Callaghan's lack of urgency . Aspire Tower ultimately won by more than four lengths, but it was the runner-up's performance that immediately attracted attention. An inquiry into the running and riding of Ta Na La was called. Walsh wasn't in Wexford, so O'Callaghan was accompanied by the trainer's authorised representative. If a trainer isn't at a race meeting, they are required under Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board rules to have an authorised representative present. READ MORE O'Callaghan told the stewards how his instructions, issued directly from the trainer, were to jump off and get his mount settled as she can be very free in her races. He added he was told to get her jumping well, come home the best she could and not to use his whip. The stewards decided the 'non-trier' rules had been broken in that the rider was 'not seen to have attempted to obtain from his mount timely, real and substantial efforts to achieve the best possible place'. They imposed the minimum sanctions. O'Callaghan was suspended for 14 days, Ta Na La suspended for 60 days, and Walsh was fined €3,000. The critical phraseology in the relevant rule is 'not seen'. It's a critical weapon in the official armoury brought in by racing's regulatory body in 2017. A series of high-profile 'non-trier' cases had been successfully appealed, leaving the authorities looking ineffective. Subjective interpretations of what might or might not be 'off' were all but impossible to prove up to legal standards. So, horses now had to be seen to try to obtain their best possible placing. By those standards the Ta Na La case looked straightforward. Walsh's high-profile status as RTÉ's former racing pundit inevitably attracted attention. The Grand National-winning trainer lodged an appeal against his fine and the horse's suspension from racing, which was heard on Monday. O'Callaghan didn't appeal his penalty. Walsh argued he wasn't afforded the opportunity to state his case on the day through his authorised representative and that under no circumstances was O'Callaghan instructed not to obtain from Ta Na La a timely, real and substantial effort to achieve the best possible placing. Walsh said he'd instructed O'Callaghan not to use the whip if Ta Na La was well beaten. But she'd outrun expectations. He blamed the jockey for not making enough effort to show the racing public that he was achieving his best possible position. Jockey Shane O'Callaghan. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho The IHRB statement on Monday's appeal outlines that Walsh's evidence was heard on a 'de-novo' basis, or for the first time. The three-person appeals board outlined how Walsh's authorised representative at Wexford was not asked by the stewards whether they were satisfied with O'Callaghan's ride. After hearing Walsh's evidence they lifted his €3,000 fine. But the horse's suspension stood. The outcome raises some questions, perhaps the most basic of which is why Walsh's authorised representative wasn't asked whether he was satisfied with O'Callaghan's ride? It seems an obvious thing to do in the circumstances. The function of authorised representatives in such circumstances also appears less than clear. What role, if any, are they expected to fill? Walsh said he hadn't spoken to his about the race, particularly, and the man was a friend rather than an employee. So, what was he expected to contribute? On a broader level, does an outcome like this reinforce concerns that the collective aspect to 'non-trier' breaches reflected in penalties for horse, trainer and jockey can work more in theory than in practise? The proper outcome was reached in the end but the untangling of such an apparently straightforward case puts the spotlight back on how such disciplinary processes are carried out on Irish racecourses. The idea is to present a convincing regulatory deterrent that reassures the betting public. This ended up looking worryingly slipshod. It underlines again the outmoded stewarding model in this country. Irish racing is an ultra-professional global business that, we are constantly told, is worth €2.5 billion a year. But it's shop window, the racecourse, is, in effect, policed by well-meaning amateur volunteers, different panels of which are dotted around the place. If the industry really cares about public perception it needs to both professionalise and centralise its regulation. There is no reason for running and riding inquiries to be held in a pressurised race-day environment on the ground. Everything that needs to be seen can be seen on camera at a central location by those paid and trained to interpret what's in front of them and correctly process any action that needs to be taken. The betting and racing public are entitled to no less and won't thank anyone for not getting it. Something for the Weekend The weekend highlight is Sunday's French Derby, where once again much pre-race focus will be on the impact of the draw in an 18-runner field. RIDARI (3.05) is in stall 11, a case of could be worse but could be better too. He had to be snatched up in the final strides of the 'Poulains', which cost him places, and better luck now can see the Aga Khan runner go close. The Cork runner-up SAMBA TRAIN (5.20) could progress enough to go one better in Saturday's Listowel finale.
BBC News
3 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Byrnes' final-hurdle unseat to be reviewed by IHRB
The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board will review jockey Philip Byrnes' final-hurdle unseat at Wexford on was leading the Wexford Claiming Hurdle on Redwood Queen, who is trained by his father Charles, heading into the final Byrnes was unseated after appearing to become unstable as Redwood Queen jumped the last, which allowed 1-3 favourite Beacon Edge to win by a comfortable raceday stewards at Wexford felt no further action was required, but the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) will now review the incident.A IHRB spokesperson said on Thursday: "We note the position of the raceday stewards following their review of the incident. I can confirm the matter is down for review by an IHRB senior racing official."The review will take into consideration the incident on the racecourse and other factors, such as betting patterns of the Queen had drifted from 7-2 to 13-2 in the betting odds, and was running at 1/7 in-play at the time of the fall.
The Sun
3 days ago
- General
- The Sun
Horse racing tips: This outsider is very interesting on comeback for a new trainer
Read on for the tips FIVER FLUTTER Horse racing tips: This outsider is very interesting on comeback for a new trainer SUN Racing's Friday picks are below. Back a horse by clicking their odds. LONGSHOT FAST AFFAIR (1.55 Chepstow) She signed off last season with a win at Wolver and is interesting on comeback for a new trainer. EACH-WAY THIEF SHERLOCK (4.15 Carlisle) He improved from his comeback run when a close second at Doncaster last time. POETIC FORCE (4.40 Brighton) He's 11 now but is still going well and was just over a length off the pace here last time. Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who: Establishes time and monetary limits before playing Only gambles with money they can afford to lose Never chases their losses Doesn't gamble if they're upset, angry or depressed Gamcare – Gamble Aware – Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.
