Favs clean up as Walsh wins on return

Bitsandpieces completed a remarkable night for punters at Tipperary as he completed a clean sweep for winning favourites on the seven-race card.

It was also a significant winner as Mark Walsh made a successful return to the saddle after an absence of just under two months.

Bitsandpieces was well supported this morning from 9/4 into as short as 10/11 but was easier to back on course and returned at 13/8 in the three-mile contest.

He travelled well into contention turning for home but had to work hard to get the better of Duckweed going to the last.

The Mick Winters-trained gelding kept on well in the closing stages to score by three-parts-of-a-length as 66/1 shot Davids Jewel ran on to take second.

The winner had been second on his debut in a maiden hurdle at Thurles in February.

"He went backwards after his first run but in the last fortnight he lit up," revealed Winters afterwards.

"I was assured (by the racecourse) that there would be no shock in the ground and he coped with it.

"Mark said he'd have no problem coming back in trip and he might be better over two and a half miles.

"He's a horse I hope will have some great years in him."

Winters also gave an update on stable-star Rebel Fitz:-

"We're keeping him under the radar at the moment and he won't be ready to come for another while."

(Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes)