Balliniska Band and Patrick Mullins© Photo Healy Racing
Charles Byrnes has a useful group of four-year-old bumper horses this year, and Balliniska Band put up his hand as the pick of the bunch when landing the Kevin McManus Bookmaker Champion Flat Race at Limerick.
The Vinnie Roe gelding was well-backed when making a successful debut at Naas, and was again popular in the market for this Listed race being sent off the 7/4 favourite.
Patrick Mullins sent him to the front early in the straight, and asserted well over a furlong out without being asked too many questions.
He kept on well to beat Barrington Court by six lengths, with Edene d’Arc another two and a half lengths away in third.
Mullins said, "He did it lovely and was a fantastic ride, settled and handled the ground great and won well.
"That's my first ride for Charles. He rang me out of the blue and I was supposed to ride this horse on the original date (when this meeting was abandoned) but was suspended on that original date. It was a stroke of good luck that the race was put back!
"He is a lovely horse and hopefully I can ride a few more for Charles who is in Aintree."
(TW & AM)
