Kevin Brouder returned to the winner's enclosure for the first time since his breach of Covid-protocols suspension ended, as the jockey enjoyed a career highlight when landing the Grade A Bar One Racing Extra Places Handicap Hurdle on the Charles Byrnes trained Advanced Virgo

Brouder ended last season's curtailed season with an impressive 40 winners, eight shy of Daragh O'Keeffe in the Conditional Jockeys Championship, but breached Covid-protocols in early September and served an eight weeks suspension prior to returning to race-riding on November 20.

Brouder's previous winner was at Listowel on September 21 and today steered Advanced Virgo, a son of flat stallion Holy Roman Emperor, to a two and three parts of a length win over Cayd Boy

It was trainer Byrnes' third time winning this race, having done so with Wonder Laish, under Davy Russell in 2019, and with subsequent Stayers Hurdle winner Solwhit, then rated 127, in thick fog under Tom Doyle, this day in 2008.