Downpatrick's 'missing horse' wins on UK debut Ex-Charles Byrnes-trained Karloss - the horse at the centre of a controversial August withdrawal, returned to action at Sedgefield yesterday where he scored on debut for new trainer Samuel Drinkwater. The six-year-old gelding was beaten a cumulative total of 491 lengths in six outings for trainer Ian O'Connor prior to a Downpatrick engagement on August 28 - where he was due to debut for Byrnes, only to be withdrawn 'injured in transit'. The Downpatrick race was won by separately heavily-backed Anyway (morning 20s, returned even-money), which had at one point been in the care of trainer Byrnes. Raceday stewards referred matters to a Senior Racing official for further investigation while Byrnes was himself “furious” over apparent CCTV failings at Downpatrick, as he sought proof that Karloss had indeed arrived at the northern course - prior to withdrawal. Yesterday at Sedgefield, the Barry Healy-owned Karloss made a happy return, debuting for Worcestershire-based Samuel Drinkwater when proving an easy-to-back 4/1 winner of the Piippo Edge Master Available From Paxtons Handicap Hurdle. Byrnes did not wish to comment on yesterday's race.
