Byrne back with first winner in six years

Jockey Josh Byrne, whose last winner came in the 2007/08 season in Britain, returned from a long layoff from race-riding in recent times and win the Limerick Racecourse Punter Pack Handicap Hurdle (div 2) at Limerick today on the Maura McGuinness trained Afram Blue

Byrne later stated “I retired about six years ago with neck and back injuries but a friend of mine Mark Barber gave me a spin on a horse one day recently It got the buzz going again and I thought 'to hell with it' and went back race-riding.

“This was my second ride since coming back and I'm delighted to get a winner for a small yard and on Afram Blue, which is actually my favourite horse!”

Winning trainer McGuinness added “he (Afram Blue) is owned by my brother John McGuinness, a doctor in Dublin, who has been under the weather recently and this will be a real boost to him.

“I thought the trip would be a tad too short for Afram Blue and I have spent all summer trying to get him into races on good ground but kept getting balloted out and here we are on heavy today! We'll keep him going now while he's loving his racing!”

By Thomas Weekes