The curious case of Karloss and the jeep: investigation into Charles Byrnes's mad Monday is most definitely needed

August bank holiday Monday in the UK; a humble racetrack, multiple bets, gamble landed, an unfortunate non-runner, investigations follow.

Charles Byrnes hit the target with three of his four runners at Downpatrick on Monday. A potential four-timer went astray when market drifter I Am Spider Man failed miserably. There is confusion over whether another of the stable's intended runners even made it to the track but a gamble was landed in the same race with Anyway, a horse bought by Byrnes for €20,000 at the Goffs Land Rover Sale in 2021 but trained by Ken Budds from the outset of his racing career.

The absence of the Byrnes-trained Karloss from the race won by Anyway is an intriguing aspect of the affair. According to the report of the Downpatrick stewards, Byrnes explained how "Karloss slipped in the trailer and sweated up en route to today's fixture so it was felt in his best interest to be withdrawn". Byrnes "further stated that the owners of Karloss were travelling behind him so they brought Karloss back to his yard and that is why he did not arrive at the races with his other runners".