Tom Weekes
Byrnes bookends Leopardstown card
Run For Oscar (centre) and Philip Byrnes
© Photo Healy Racing
Charles Byrnes bookended the card at Leopardstown today as the trainer won the concluding 'Club 30 Membership' INH Bumper with well backed 15/8f Run For Sol, over three hours after winning the opening race with gambled winner Wajaaha
Wajaaha's win in the opener came in the hands of Cathal Landers and Byrnes will have taken plenty pleasure in Run For Oscar s win, under his son Philip, in the concluding bumper.
Run For Oscar was nabbed late-on at Thurles last month having been in front for the final three quarters of a mile but today 16 year old Byrnes junior timed his run to a nicety. The pair moved to the front in the home straight and eventually scored for a seven and a half lengths win over Alko Rouge
Byrnes, whose Ladbroke Hurdle winner Thosedaysaregone and Doctor Duffy hold Cheltenham Festival entries, later stated “he deserved that after the last as it was jockey's error the last day and he didn't make the same mistake again thank god.
“I think he is a nice horse and that wouldn't have been ideal ground for him and he definitely wants good ground. He'll probably have a wee break now and you could even see him back running on the flat during the summer.
“I thought it was a good performance because we were concerned about the ground.”
Run For Oscar, a son of Oscar, is out of Run For Sol whose German-bred sire Solon also sired Byrnes' famous Stayers Hurdle winner Solwhit.
Quotes from Gary Carson