Jonathan Killahena made a welcome return to action at Down Royal this evening after 16 months on the sidelines with a neck injury and concussion following a fall at Wexford in May 2011.

It was nearly a fairytale comeback for Killahena, who is apprenticed to Michael Halford, as he finished second aboard the veteran Hide The Evidence in the RNLI Apprentice Handicap.

The 11-year-old could find no extra in the closing stages of the mile and five furlongs event when beaten two and a quarter lengths by the Colin Keane-ridden Annie Go