Tony Mullins made a welcome return to winner’s enclosure when Split Ear took the concluding Supermac’s Ballinrobe & Claremorris Handicap Hurdle under a fine ride by the trainers nephew Emmett Mullins.

Mullins produced the gambled on shot (10/1 - 6/1) to lead at the second last and the Stowaway gelding kept on well under a strong drive by Mullins on the run-in to hold off Riverscape by three parts of a length.

Winning trainer Mullins said afterwards: “That was a welcome relief. A contest of this sort was well within his grasp as he is a bumper winner.”

“He is entered in a hurdle race in Tramore and he might run there under a mandatory penalty.”