Smart Flat handicapper Baron De'l returned to winning ways at Ballinrobe today, when breaking his hurdle duck in the Ballinrobe Race Committee Maiden Hurdle, for trainer Eddie Harty and jockey Andrew McNamara.

Connections of the winner did have to endure a Stewards' Enquiry as Baron De'l briefly collided with runner-up Whispering Wind approaching the final flight. Baron De'l then responded well to a strong drive from McNamara to pass the post three parts of a length ahead.

In the resulting Enquiry, the Stewards let the result stand.

Winning trainer Eddie Harty, whose Cheltenham winning stable star Captain Cee Bee is currently on the comeback trail, later reported “Baron De'l got the job done, but he is the type of horse who will never win by ten lengths.”

He added “today's race worked out a better race than I thought it would and he'll now stay hurdling for the next year.”