The fitting of cheek-pieces and a return to Tipperary, the scene of his only previous victory, sparked a return of form for An Mhi in the tipperaryraces.ie Handicap.

Leigh Roche did the steering on Joanna Morgan's flashy chestnut and the not ignored in the market 7/1 chance was going to score in this extended seven furlong event from some way out. He eventually accounted for Mrs Batt by two and a half lengths.

Ms Morgan said: "He won here last year (also beat Mrs Batt that night with Roche aboard too) doing the same thing. The owners (Mrs Patricia Cunningham) are neighbours and my mother owns half of him too.

"He's a horse that's had a lot of problems with chips in his knee and problems with a stifle. He's been at home with his owners for more time than I've had him. He's a bit of a pet really.

"What he wants is to go left-handed on a level track. He'd run at the Curragh but it's hard to get a race for him there off his rating."