Philip Byrnes steers Vinne Is Busy home© Photo Healy Racing
Vinnie Is Busy made all to win the RED MILLS Irish EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle at Ballinrobe for Charles and Philip Byrnes.
Just the eight runners went to post as Inellan Shore and Crossgaleschicflic were ruled out, but it wasn't a race lacking in drama as Jumping Susie fell at the first and Snow Secret jumped violently left unshipping her jockey five out.
Both Pale Blue Dot and She Is Electric tried to serve it up to the leader over the last but the former pecked on landing and dropped to third.
Vinne Is Busy was ridden off the final bend as She Is Electric went for the inner. The path was there for her to go through and mount her challenge, but the leader was having none of it as he strode on.
The 11/10 favourite was in charge in the closing stages as he drew two and a half lengths clear of She Is Electric (15/8). Pale Blue Dot was half a length further back in third at 5/1.
Charles Byrnes said: "It's been coming a while but the form of his last run worked out unreal with the horse that beat him winning a Flat race in Galway.
"He seemed to enjoy letting him off in front there and it was the best he's jumped for a long time.
"We can mix it over hurdles and fences and it looks like he stays now which we thought he wouldn't. We thought he was a two-miler but he stays three now."
"That's Philip's first winner since he came back from injury. He was off for nearly 10 months."
Jockey Byrnes returned to action towards the end of July.
Additional reporting by Mark Nunan
