Battling Bynx bounces back from Navan no-show Sean Flanagan registered his third success on Bynx, as the pair battled to a narrow win in the Ballagh Mares Handicap Hurdle. Down the field when sent off favourite on the level at Navan last week, the Vadamos seven-year-old bounced back to form in this two-and-a-half mile heat. Supported from 12s to 9s, the Martin Hassett-trained bay raced in mid-division, taking closer order on the outer with over a circuit to go. Improving into a share of the lead on the long run to two out, she was ridden away from that flight and while narrowly headed by Tir Og approaching the last, she battled back gamely in the closing stages to deny her aforementioned rival by a neck. The runner-up was returned at 4/1 under Calum Hogan for Eoin Seymour, while the easy-to-back Carried With Love (9/2f from 11/4) was another two-and-a-half lengths back in third. Hassett said in the aftermath: "It looked like she ran flat the last day in Navan and has ran 18 times this year, so the brother said to me this morning 'what are you going to Thurles with her for!' "We had planned to give her a break, and only for it being so near on nice ground that we decided to take our chance. "Maybe racing on the Flat is buzzing her. Sean said she was keen today but she has one thing - guts. She is tough out and when you have that you always have a chance. "She goes up the gallop on her own and is a nut job at home. My young lad Jack is really training her as no one else wants the hardship of riding her. Jack is well able to ride but unfortunately is too tall to ride on the track." Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
