Charles, Philip Byrnes face IHRB probe in Redwood Queen hearing

December 15, 2025

Charles and Philip Byrnes face an Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) probe in Monday’s Redwood Queen hearing.

The controversial events at Wexford on May 28 saw trainer Charles send out eight-year-old Redwood Queen in a claiming hurdle, ridden by his son Philip.

The mare looked to be home and hosed approaching the final flight before Philip unseated his mount upon landing despite an excellent, straightforward jump that should have sealed the deal.

There the outrage began and suspicious betting patterns were put under the microscope by furious punters who watched Redwood Queen drift from a morning price of 6/4 all the way out to a Betfair SP of 10.28 (9.28/1).

1/3 favourite Beacon Edge, who looked to have no answer to Redwood Queen’s strong challenge down the home straight, was left in the lead and won by 22 lengths.

Initially the IHRB’s raceday stewards reviewed the unseating and declared having viewed the recording of the race and considered the matter, no further action was necessary.

A change of tune arrived the morning after and the regulatory body confirmed the matter was down for review by a senior racing official.

In the aftermath, Redwood Queen was claimed by trainer Cian Collins for €6,000 and now runs in the colours of the Del Boy Partnership.

The Byrnes’ will travel to the IHRB’s Curragh HQ for further investigation, which will engage with external service providers where necessary.

WATCH: Philip Byrnes unseats Redwood Queen at Wexford

Redwood queen 13/8 to 13/2

Whats with those legs?

George Baker of Racing TV described it as ‘Philip Byrnes will be very disappointed with that fall’

Top punditry. Well, at least punditry with a hood on pic.twitter.com/TQGP6m6Guv

— Geoff Banks (@geoffbanksbet) May 28, 2025

In an interview with the Irish Times days later, Charles explained:

“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.”

In-running comments by the Racing Post reported Byrnes ‘became unbalanced at the last’ and said the jockey ‘will be disappointed to have unshipped.’

ITV Racing’s Megan Nicholls, daughter of English trainer Paul, without hesitation said on national television: “I think it looks like (he jumped off). Watching that it looks as if he is preparing…his knee is out already.

“He’s pushing himself out the left hand side.”

Charles’ reputation certainly won’t help his case – widely regarded as a man feared by bookmakers who excels in shrewd campaigning and one of the very best at naming the day, capable of landing an incredible touch.

In 2021, he had his licence suspended for six months after Viking Hoard was found to have tested positive for a sedative when pulled up at Tramore in October 2018.

The horse drifted from 4/1 to 8/1 in the betting, becoming rapidly detached from the rest of the field before the seventh hurdle. Viking Hoard was laid to lose almost €35,000 by a mystery punter on Betfair – representing half of the total lay market.

Just weeks before the Tramore scandal, €30,279 was laid on the horse at Sedgefield when it finished fourth of five – 71% of the lay market – and a month before that, €55,000 was risked on Viking Hoard when pulled up as the 11/2 joint-favourite at Galway.