Redwood Queen capitalises on Killarney opportunity

Redwood Queen (5/6f) capitalised on favourable race conditions to win Killarney's Irish Stallion Farms EBF (Mares) Hurdle today, scoring for trainer Charles Byrnes and his sons, owner Cathal and jockey Philip Byrnes.

Horses which had previously won handicap races avoided penalties in today's four-runner race and thus greatly aided four-time handicap winner Redwood Queen's chances.

In the race, 129-rated Redwood Queen made much of the running and comfortably beat 120-rated Instant Tendance - which conceded 11lbs to the winner, by four lengths.

Byrnes senior stated “she hopped off the ground, she is a brilliant jumper and it looked a great opportunity.

“She wasn't penalised in today's race for any of her previous wins but the handicapper can't do a whole lot more to us. We would have put her over fences only she is so small but we might try her on the flat, if we can get a stalls cert as she is a small bit flighty.

“She might run in a flat race in Galway.”