Bye Bye O Bye (nearside) and Davy Russell© Photo Healy Racing
Bye Bye O Bye has really come good in recent weeks and the nine-year-old opened his account under rules in the Greville Arms Hotel Handicap Hurdle at Kilbeggan.
The Michael Griffin-trained gelding landed a point-to-point at Inch last month, and followed up here at odds of 8/1.
Davy Russell bided his time before challenging off the home bend, and collared Just Likeold Times early on the run-in.
There was a length and a quarter between the pair at the line, with Sea Scorpion a further three quarters of a length back in fourth. Returntovendor completed the places in fourth, while the well-backed Either In Or Out (18/1 into 7/1) faded inside the final half-mile.
Griffin said, “Davy gave him some ride. He made up his ground on the inside and timed it well. He’s entered at Tramore on Monday (over 2m5f) and, if he comes out of this okay, he could run there.”
Bye Bye O Bye is owned and bred by Galwegian Danny Grealish.
