Charles Byrnes runner cut to 15-8 from 40s in ITV4 race at Naas

Rough Terain has been heavily backed for trainer Charles Byrnes at Naas in the 1m7½f Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle, one of four races from the track being broadcast as part of ITV4's revised schedule.

The six-year-old, the mount of Dillon Maxwell, opened at 40-1 with several bookmakers but has shortened significantly into general 15-8 favouritism for the 3.25, although the race has been affected by non-runners.

Winner of one of his 11 starts, Rough Terain is having his third run of the season and third in handicap company, having failed to beat a rival on either of his two outings this campaign.

He finished last of 14 at Killarney in October as a 28-1 shot, beaten 83 lengths, and was last of 13 at Thurles in November, beaten 37 lengths as a 40-1 chance.

Naas card

Byrnes is currently awaiting the verdict of his appeal, held on Tuesday afternoon, in the Viking Hoard case. On Wednesday a spokesperson for the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) said: "The panel have reserved their judgement. They will release their verdict in due course."

In the original hearing on January 7, the IHRB's referrals committee found Byrnes to be seriously negligent in his supervision of Viking Hoard on the day the horse tested positive for a dangerous amount of a sedative following a race at Tramore, and accepted the horse was "nobbled" by an unidentified third party.

The committee ordered Byrnes's licence to be withdrawn for a period of six months and imposed a €1,000 fine on the trainer.

Viking Hoard was heavily laid to lose the handicap hurdle at Tramore in October 2018, and drifted to a starting price of 8-1 from 4-1 before being pulled up. There was no evidence linking Byrnes to those bets.

Last week, the trainer made his first public comments on the case, saying: "I don't lay horses, I back horses."

Charles Byrnes: 'I don't lay horses, I back horses'

Byrnes has continued to have runners while the appeals process has been ongoing, saddling runners including Off You Go, who won a €125,000 handicap chase at Leopardstown to become the first horse to win at three Dublin Racing Festivals.

Hashtag Watt also runs for Byrnes in the final race at Naas (4.35) and the four-year-old has shortened to make a winning debut. Generally available at 8-1 on Friday night, he is a best-price 5-2 favourite with Paddy Power and Betfair Sportsbook to win the bumper.

This afternoon's big gamble comes just six days after a heavily backed, big-priced treble had bookmkakers facing multi-million pound liabilities.

Read more:

Members' Club: 'white label' customers no longer able to place lay bets on Betfair exchange

Members' Club: BHA reveals Viking Hoard tested negative at Sedgefield 16 days before Tramore run

Members' Club: Comment – a disturbing case that leaves many vital questions unanswered

'It's the number one problem in Irish racing' – Bolger demands more drug testing

Not fair: Charles Byrnes unhappy at treatment by BHA over British runners

Byrnes: bumper gambles were necessary as training is 'a loss-making business'

Join Members' Club Ultimate and read tipping from the likes of Pricewise and Paul Kealy, all the big interviews and features, daily comment and news analysis – plus our Ultimate Daily newsletter. Click here to sign up.