BYRNE LOSS DEVASTATES

THE racing community in Ireland and Britain has been devastated by the tragic death of Aintree Festivalwinning jockey Michael Byrne.

Tipperary native Byrne, who rode in the Grand National and had 96 career wins, died on Saturday, aged 36.

Dozens of tributes have been paid to the former rider, who competed in the

2014 Grand National and rode winners at Cheltenham.

Byrne (right) rode a handful of winners in Ireland before moving to Britain where he enjoyed a successful career before retiring in 2016 and returning to these shores, where he prepared horses for the sales.

Uncle

He is a nephew of renowned point-topoint trainer Pat Doyle, who handled many champion jump horses in their early days, and had been working with his uncle at his Suirview Stables.

“Michael was very successful as a jockey and was a brilliant horseman and it’s very, very sad,” said Doyle.

“He was a great guy who was involved in horses and into his football.

“He had three brothers and two sisters and the family are very close.

“He was a wonderful young man with a wonderful family around him and he’ll be sadly missed.”

The Cahir native had his best spell in the UK for Welshbased trainer Tim Vaughan, riding 61 winners for the Cowbridge handler.

“It is just so sad and I am devastated for Michael’s family and friends,” said

Vaughan, who provided Byrne’s 2014 Aintree ride Golan Way in the edition won by Pineau De Re.

“He was a lovely person, reliable, honest and loyal.

“He started his career in Peter Bowen’s stable and worked for us for about five years.

“Dicky (Richard) Johnson was our main jockey at the time and Michael was conditional, he rode out his claim here. We enjoyed lots of success together and got on famously well. “He was a lovely kid from a lovely family and there’s no other word to describe it than tragic,” said Vaughan.

In 2010, Byrne was in Aintree’s winners’ enclosure after the Listed mares’ bumper, when the Bowen-trained Big Time Billy won at big odds of 28-1.

The following month, Byrne was victorious again at Aintree on 2005 Cheltenham Gold Cup second Take The Stand, just nine days after the pair’s triumph on hunter chase night at Prestbury Park.

Family

Buck Magic provided another career milestone there, securing a conditional jockeys’ handicap hurdle at the 2021 November Meeting.

The thoroughbred’s trainer Neil Mulholland said:

“A lot of my staff worked with him and have been affected by the news. Our thoughts go to his family and friends.”

Funeral arrangements will be announced in due course.