Latest news with #RedwoodQueen
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Jockey who fled country after ‘practically jumping off' horse hit with massive 18-month ban and fine
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A JOCKEY who fled the country after 'practically jumping off' a horse has been hit with a massive 18-month ban and fine. Footage of Brazilian rider Lemos 'Lai Lai' De Souza's spill from favourite Pacific Power gained worldwide notoriety. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Jockey Lemos De Souza broke from favourite Pacific Power in stall one 4 But he immediately became unbalanced 4 After a matter of seconds the jockey had been dislodged 4 He ended up in a crumpled heap on the floor as the horse ran on riderless Pacific Power was favourite for a race at Selangor racecourse in Malaysia but drifted just before the off. De Souza was seen appearing to bounce in the saddle before theatrically falling off the horse seconds after the gates opened. Commentator Devon Pretorius said at the time: "He practically jumped off the horse." Stewards attempted to open an urgent investigation into the incident, which occurred earlier this month. But matters were complicated after it emerged De Souza had fled the country for Singapore so he could receive medical treatment. The jockey was said to have returned a few days later - giving stewards the chance to probe him. And, following the completion of the investigation, they decided to ban De Souza for 18 months and hand him a £7,500 fine. In another blow, the jockey is not allowed to reapply for his licence until a further 12 months after his ban ends. De Souza, who had pleaded not guilty, was deemed to have 'failed to ride his horse to the satisfaction of the stewards'. He could have been disqualified for life but stewards took into account his previous good record. Footage of De Souza's fall was viewed hundreds of thousands of times online. And many agreed with Pretorious' description of the incident. He said: "A look at the replay here… Pacific Power jumps and Lai Lai - I'm not too sure if the saddle slipped. "Then he pretty much knew his fate about ten metres out of the starting stalls and then practically jumped off the horse as he knew he wasn't going to get his foot back in his irons on his right side." This is the second such incident to rock racing in recent months. An investigation is still ongoing into Irish jockey Philip Byrnes' dramatic fall from Redwood Queen at Wexford in May. While fellow jockey Alvinio Roy was banned for five years after this incident in Mauritius last year. FREE BETS - GET THE BEST SIGN UP DEALS AND RACING OFFERS 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 Daily Mirror
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Update on investigation into controversial Redwood Queen unseat at Wexford
The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board's (IHRB) review into the controversial unseat of Philip Byrnes from the Charles Byrnes-trained Redwood Queen at Wexford last month has begun. Limerick jockey Byrnes parted company with the mare Redwood Queen at the final hurdle, who was a serious market drifter before the Claiming race, handing victory to odds-on favourite and well-backed Beacon Edge from Gordon Elliott's stable. She traded at 1.14 (1/7) approaching the final hurdle which she appeared to jump well before Byrnes parted company, slipping off the inside and landing on his knees. Although the on-course stewards at Wexford took no action on the day of the race, the IHRB later stated that a senior official would review the matter. The incident has attracted a huge amount of attention all over the world - as far as Australia and the USA - and footage of the unseat has been viewed millions of times online. Afterwards she was claimed by trainer Cian Collins for €6,000. Following the race Charles Byrnes gave his verdict on the unseat saying: "He (Philip) 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 IHRB's Head of Communications Niall Cronin confirmed the review has now commenced but was unable to give a time line for its completion. He said: 'When conducting any review or investigation, an IHRB Senior Racing Official collaborates with and has the full support of IHRB colleagues across all departments. 'Depending on the nature of the matter, the IHRB may also engage with external service providers or stakeholders as appropriate. 'The current review into the Wexford matter is being conducted in line with our procedures.'
Daily Mail
05-06-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Redwood Queen chaos at Wexford only creates suspicion and distrust in the sport - regulators must provide answers quickly: RACING CONFIDENTIAL
The Wexford Claiming Hurdle, run on May 29, was worth €5900 to the winner. It was the kind of race on a midweek afternoon, at a provincial course, that barely warrants a second look. It attracted six runners, all of whom have seen better days in their careers. Horses are entered in claimers because they are effectively for sale. The weight they carry in the contest is determined by the price they can be bought for afterwards. This particular running, however, has caused fury on remarkable levels from punters and understandably so. No race in the past seven days has attracted more discussion and no race in the last year has done more to damage perceptions of the sport. Everything revolves around a mare called Redwood Queen, who is trained by Charles Byrnes and was ridden at Wexford by his son, Philip. She was second favourite behind Beacon Edge, trained by Gordon Elliott. Her price when the market opened was 7/2; those odds drifted out to 13/2 at the off. Beacon Edge, on all known form, should have won in canter. He might be 11 now but odds of 1/3 indicated this was going to be a procession for the gelding. It was anything but – coming to the final flight, Beacon Edge was booked for second place as Redwood Queen galloped with enthusiasm. Then came the incident that sparked outrage. Byrnes unseated at the final obstacle without any semblance of a mistake from Redwood Queen – the mare didn't touch a bar of the hurdle, her stride didn't falter but her jockey ended up on the floor and Beacon Edge ran out a fortuitous winner. 'On paper it was a penalty kick but I was very lucky to get the opportunity,' said the successful rider Josh Halford. Racecourse stewards watched a replay but took no action. The Racing Post's in-running comments reported Byrnes 'became unbalanced at the last' and said the jockey 'will be disappointed to have unshipped.' The race is now being reviewed by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB). Many in the court of social media were quick to make the kind of sweeping judgements that if printed in a media publication, without any evidence, would lead to libel claims. What we can say, with certainty, is that Byrnes's riding, on this occasion, was terrible. A rider of his experience should not have come out of the saddle with such apparent ease. The more camera angles you see, the more your eyebrows raise and it isn't difficult to understand why so many punched damning verdicts into their phones for the digital world to see. This situation could have been addressed immediately if the racecourse stewards had acted decisively. Those watching had their fury fuelled by the fact Beacon Edge came in for significant support before the start while Redwood Queen's price could not be given away. All this creates suspicion, distrust and stewards burying their heads when there was an issue for them to address is hugely detrimental to a sport that has critics in all manner of different places. If those who follow the game religiously start to falter, what happens next? Charles Byrnes, aware of the pounding his reputation had been taking, broke cover at the start of this week to say: 'There's no-one hurting more than Philip. He was trying to get the mare to go in and pop it. She had the race won but she came up out of his hands and blew him out of the saddle.' Redwood Queen was claimed by another trainer, Cian Collins, after the race for €6000 and her next assignment will be watched with interest. It just goes to show, though, the damage that can be caused when an information vacuum appears. The IHRB must find answers: quickly. BHA should send a message to MIA Chair Charles Allen or – Lord Allen of Kensington, to give him his full title – should have started his role as the new Chair of the British Horseracing Authority on Monday. Instead, late last week, he pulled the rug from under the BHA by informing them he was not yet ready to commence his duties. Lord Allen wants to hold more meetings with stakeholders to, according to a hastily-published and curtly-worded statement from the BHA, 'continue meeting stakeholders to better inform his vision for the sport.' Looking on from afar, you would say that wants to see what the land is like to determine whether he can be a success or not. It was a risible decision from the 68-year-old. Horseracing needs someone with authority and bravery to lead the sport forward, not someone seemingly protecting themselves. If the BHA have it within their power, they should thank Lord Allen for his time and appoint someone who can start with immediate effect, understanding the privilege to which they have been afforded. He has made a dreadful first impression. Buick eyes a shot at history-making William Buick wouldn't entertain the prospect of history when we spoke last week but he is aware of its potential at Epsom. Buick will ride Desert Flower in the Betfred Oaks and Ruling Court in the Betfred Derby, the horses on whom he won the 1000 Guineas and 2000 Guineas respectively at Newmarket last month. These are the kind of equine athletes that could enliven the summer. 1814 was the first year that it became possible for a jockey to win four Classics by the start of June but, incredibly, nobody has managed the feat. Only nine riders have managed to get three of the four, the last being Kieren Fallon in 1999. Fallon came within a neck of landing the quartet. Wince had won the 1000 Guineas, Ramruma took the Oaks and Oath won the Derby but Enrique, his mount in the 2000 Guineas, failed a narrow margin to cut down Island Sands at Newmarket. Can Buick do what proved beyond Steve Cauthen (1985), Willie Carson (1980), Lester Piggott (1970), George Moore (1967), Gordon Richards (1942), Herbert Randall (1902), John Barnham Day (1840) and Frank Buckle (1823)? It adds a level of spice to a fantastic weekend. You can catch up with Buick's interview here. Something for the weekend The Classics take centre stage and there was a feeling, at one stage that Andrew Balding's ROYAL PLAYWRIGHT would be contesting them. It hasn't turned out that way but the three-year-old can still win at Epsom on Saturday in the Group Three Diomed Stakes.
Scottish Sun
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
‘Spineless' – Meg Nicholls' verdict on Philip Byrnes' infamous fall as dad Charles breaks silence after horse is sold
BYRN AFTER READING 'Spineless' – Meg Nicholls' verdict on Philip Byrnes' infamous fall as dad Charles breaks silence after horse is sold Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) BRAVE Meg Nicholls was praised by punters for giving her no-holds-barred verdict on Philip Byrnes' infamous Wexford fall. The jockey's 'soft' unseat at the last when clear on Redwood Queen has sparked an urgent Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board investigation. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up Statement issued as officials launch probe into jockey's final-flight fall on leading horse who drifted in market The mare, who has since been sold to a new trainer having belonged to Philip's brother Cathal, was a huge drifter in the betting before the off. New footage has emerged of the flashpoint, which saw Philip, whose dad Charles trained the horse, fall to his knees after the horse successfully jumped the last. Nicholls was involved in a discussion with Sun Racing's Matt Chapman and former Grand National-winning rider Mick Fitzgerald last weekend. And Meg, daughter of iconic trainer Paul, didn't hold back when giving her opinion of what happened. Quizzed by Fitzgerald: "So come on then, what are you saying, that he jumped off?" Meg without hesitation hit back: "I think it looks like it. "Watching that it looks as if he is preparing… his knee is out already. He is pushing himself out the left hand side. "It looks as if he is trying to come off." Nicholls' analysis was lauded as 'superb' by ITV viewers - but some disagreed with Fitzgerald. One took exception to his 'spineless' verdict of the incident, while others thought he offered valuable insight into what the jockey was trying to do. Either way, as Chapman wrote in his column, the outcome of the probe will more than likely depend on what can be traced, if anything, to betting patterns around the race. Byrnes senior finally broke his silence on the incident and used the opportunity to hit out at those doubting his son. He said: "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." All this came as new footage of the fall was shared online. The camera, looking down towards the post from the track, focused in on how Byrnes' feet left their irons. Viewing it on Racing TV on Sunday morning, former jockey Adam McNamara conceded it 'looks really bad'. He said: "I'm going to be pro-jockey by nature and perhaps it's naive of me, but I want to believe it was an unseat. "If it was something more sinister why wait until last to do it? "It looks really bad - I think it's a really bad bit of riding. "The jockey will say he should never have fallen off that." Stewards originally decided on the day that no further action would be taken over the incident. But it was only after a social media outcry that the IHRB confirmed it was being looked into. 1 The new footage from behind focused in how Byrnes' feet left his irons mid-jump FREE BETS - GET THE BEST SIGN UP DEALS AND RACING OFFERS 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.
The Irish Sun
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
‘Spineless' – Meg Nicholls' verdict on Philip Byrnes' infamous fall as dad Charles breaks silence after horse is sold
BRAVE Meg Nicholls was praised by punters for giving her no-holds-barred verdict on Philip Byrnes' infamous Wexford fall. The jockey's 'soft' unseat at the last when clear on Redwood Queen has sparked an Advertisement Statement issued as officials launch probe into jockey's final-flight fall on leading horse who drifted in market The mare, who has since been sold to a new trainer having belonged to Philip's brother Cathal, was a huge drifter in the betting before the off. New footage has emerged of the flashpoint, which saw Philip, whose dad Charles trained the horse, fall to his knees after the horse successfully jumped the last. Nicholls was involved in a discussion with Sun Racing's Matt Chapman and former Grand National-winning rider Mick Fitzgerald last weekend. And Meg, daughter of iconic trainer Paul, didn't hold back when giving her opinion of what happened. Advertisement Quizzed by Fitzgerald: "So come on then, what are you saying, that he jumped off?" Meg without hesitation hit back: "I think it looks like it. "Watching that it looks as if he is preparing… his knee is out already. He is pushing himself out the left hand side. "It looks as if he is trying to come off." Advertisement Most read in Horse Racing Nicholls' analysis was lauded as 'superb' by ITV viewers - but some disagreed with Fitzgerald. One took exception to his 'spineless' verdict of the incident, while others thought he offered valuable insight into what the jockey was trying to do. Either way, as Byrnes senior finally broke his silence on the incident and used the opportunity to hit out at those doubting his son. Advertisement He said: "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." All this came as new footage of the fall was shared online. Advertisement The camera, looking down towards the post from the track, focused in on how Byrnes' feet left their irons. Viewing it on Racing TV on Sunday morning, former jockey Adam McNamara conceded it 'looks really bad'. He said: "I'm going to be pro-jockey by nature and perhaps it's naive of me, but I want to believe it was an unseat. "If it was something more sinister why wait until last to do it? Advertisement "It looks really bad - I think it's a really bad bit of riding. "The jockey will say he should never have fallen off that." Stewards originally decided on the day that no further action would be taken over the incident. But it was only after a social media outcry that the IHRB confirmed it was being looked into. Advertisement 1 The new footage from behind focused in how Byrnes' feet left his irons mid-jump FREE BETS - GET THE BEST SIGN UP DEALS AND RACING OFFERS 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: Read more on the Irish Sun 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.
