'A loaded case with reputations at stake’: IHRB faces uphill task in Redwood Queen inquiry On Monday, the IHRB referrals committee convened to hear the circumstances around how Philip Burns was unseated from Redwood Queen in the infamous claiming hurdle back in May. Redwood Queen had drifted significantly in price from 7/2 - 13/2 and was running at 1/7 in play at the time of the fall. Controversial Unseat Byrnes was leading the Wexford Claiming Hurdle aboard Redwood Queen, trained by his father Charles, as they approached the final hurdle. However, he was unseated when he appeared to lose his balance as Redwood Queen cleared the last hurdle, allowing the 1-3 favourite, Beacon Edge, to seize the lead and win with ease. Redwood Queen was claimed and is yet to finish first past the post for her new connections. The IHRB heard from external parties and key stakeholders, including discussions with ex-jockey Leighton Aspell, who stated he believed the unseat was ‘deliberate’, while Davy Russell stated it was not deliberate and down to ‘indecision’. A verdict will not be reached until a transcript is available, which is likely to be after Christmas. Sympathy for the IHRB Speaking on irishracing.com’s Irish Angle this week Johnny Ward expressed great empathy for the IHRB ahead of what is likely to be a complex case with a number of reputations hanging in the balance. He said: “If we are really to find out the answers here, the IHRB will need to stretch its resources as far as it can. “There’s a lot of upheaval within the organisation, particularly on the security side. My understanding is that Chris Gordon has left and that his team has changed, so things are evolving there. “I’m not sure what they can realistically uncover at this stage if something did go on, but they may have to rely on expert opinion and testimony from stakeholders. “This is such a loaded case. There is an awful lot at stake here for reputations - Philip Byrnes for one - and for racing itself. “I actually have a lot of sympathy for the IHRB, because this story got off to a very bad start when the stewards on the night felt there was nothing to see. From that moment on, the IHRB were on the back foot. “I don't envy the IHRB trying to come up with an answer.” Uphill task Paddy Flood added his opinion: “You’ll never get to the bottom of it, unless the betting patterns show something else. “I don’t know how far the IHRB can go into someone's phone or their betting account. From a jockey’s point of view or a trainer’s point of view, it's impossible to call it, really.”
