An appeal by trainer Charles Byrnes against a six-month ban in relation to the Viking Hoard case will be heard on Tuesday week.
Byrnes had his licence suspended last week after being found to have been seriously negligent when his runner, Viking Hoard, was ‘nobbled’ with a sedative at Tramore in 2018. He was also fined €1,000.
On Thursday, Byrnes saw his first runner since receiving that ban last week pulled up at Gowran.
The JP McManus owned Pairc Na Ngael started 15-8 favourite for the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle, a race sponsored by the owner.
However Paric Na Ngael failed to fire, never appeared to be travelling well, and was being bustled along by jockey Simon Torrens with over a circuit to go.
Ahead of his appeal Byrnes is still permitted by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board to saddle runners.
His next potential starter is at Naas on Sunday where Poseidon is among the 10 entries left in the Grade 3 Limestone Lad Hurdle.
The Byrnes appeal is likely to take place on the afternoon of February 9th. It will be heard by a different panel to the Referrals Committee that carried out the original hearing and which issued its report last week.
“Given the current Covid-19 restrictions it will take place on Zoom, just as the original referral was,” confirmed an IHRB spokesman on Thursday evening.
Off a strong pace in gruelling conditions at Gowran, it was Pairc Na Ngael’s market rival, the 2-1 Street Value, who plugged on best through the mud under Barry John Foley.
The winning jockey usually spends much of his time riding in the US. However coronavirus restrictions mean he plans to remain in Ireland for some time yet before returning to America.
Thursday's big race at Gowran, the €100,000 Goffs Thyestes Chase, was won by the Gordon Elliott trained novice Coko Beach who supplied a form boost to his stable companion Envoi Allen by winning his first race over fences.
Coko Beach was last of four runners behind Envoi Allen in the Drinmore earlier this season. However in handicap company he produced a career-best performance in first-time blinkers under jockey Jack Kennedy.
“It was very easy and he jumped and travelled unbelievably well. I couldn’t believe how well I was going after jumping the third last and he did it very well.
“He jumps so well so that is a massive help going into your first handicap. If they can jump well, it’s half the battle. He has been struggling to get off the mark over fences and the blinkers made a massive difference.
“It’s a big race and one of the biggest handicaps of the year so it’s great to win it,” Kennedy said.
At the line Coko Beach had four lengths in hand of his stable companion Run Wild Fred as Elliott and owner Michael O’Leary enjoyed a 1-2.
Trainer Mouse Morris saddled Trapper John to win the 1990 Stayers Hurdle and 31 years later he looks to have another contender for the stamina crown in Sam’s Profile.
Switched from a painful novice chase campaign, Sams Profile returned to flights with a gutsy defeat of Diol Ker in the Grade 2 Galmoy Hurdle. Philip Enright's mount scored at 8-1 and is now double those odds for the big staying prize at Cheltenham in March.
“He’s a tough horse as he took an awful fall over fences in Thurles (November) and he actually fractured ribs that didn’t show up until he ran afterwards in Fairyhouse. He still managed to finish third with a broken rib. It’s testament to the horse how tough he is,” Enright reported.
Morris added that the rib injury had also bruised a lung in Sams Profile but a willing attitude has never been an issue for the seven year old. Instead a first-time hood to help him relax when required and it paid off in spades back over the smaller obstacles.
“He bled when he got home after his Fairyhouse run and it was vets who found it. He bruised his lungs and we gave him box rest.
“He is as tough as old boots and it was just one of those things in Thurles. It got too late in the year (to continue novice chasing.)
“He had a couple of good runs but isn’t the luckiest horse in the world. The Stayers Hurdle will be pencilled in now,” Morris added.
