Michael Byrne

Michael Byrne 

Michael Byrne rode a handful of winners in point-to-points in his native Ireland before moving to Britain and joining Pembrokeshire-based trainer Peter Bowen. 

One of his most memorable moments came at Aintree in April 2010 when partnering the Bowen-trained Big Time Billy to victory in a Listed mares' bumper. The following month he rode Bowen’s Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up Take The Stand to victory on hunter chase night at Cheltenham, then nine days later followed up on him in a hunter chase at Aintree. Michael rode Take The Stand in the last nine races of that horse’s career, bowing out when finishing eighth in the English Summer National at Uttoxeter. 

After a few seasons with Bowen, he moved to Vale of Glamorgan trainer Tim Vaughan, for whom he rode as back-up to Richard Johnson, finishing second to Gavin Sheehan in the 2013/14 conditional jockeys’ championship. During his time with Vaughan he had nearly 600 rides and 61 winners for him. 

He rode 100-1 outsider Golan Way for Vaughan in the 2014 Grand National, falling at the Canal Turn first time in the race won by Pineau De Re.

Michael teamed up with the Neil Mulholland-trained Carole's Destrier to win three races including the Silver Plate Handicap Hurdle at Kempton in March 2014.

Having gained a total of 96 winners, Michael called time on his riding career in Britain in 2016, citing financial issues, and returned home to Tipperary to work for his father Michael snr, the former jockey-turned-trainer, preparing horses for breeze-up sales. He also prepared point-to-pointers for his uncle Pat Doyle.

Sadly, Michael Byrne died on Saturday, 4 May 2024, aged just 36.