Off the track for 887 days between 2013 and this spring Reafadda bounced back from adversity to land the Spa @ Breaffy Handicap Hurdle at Ballinrobe under Danny Mullins.

Six to one chance Reafadda got the better of favourite Urtheoneiwant by a neck with four lengths back to Garri Rua in third.

John Ryan owns and trains the always to the fore Reafadda and he explained: "He was off for 900 days (returned at Limerick in March). He got a freak fall at Tipperary, he nearly cut the tendon off himself.

"I thought I'd never get him back. I love this horse, he has guts. It's a long road to get a horse fully back who had that much damage done to his tendon.

"We nursed him back, our vet Rob Norris was a big help.

"He is in a chase at Punchestown on Wednesday and he might well run there. He is better over fences.

"He carried a lot of weight to win an amateur handicap at the Galway Festival one year and that takes a bit of doing. I remember Dermot Weld had a fancied one that day."

(DM & EM)