Split The Bucket overcame an absence of nearly 14 months to take the Connolly’s Red Mills Irish EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle at Limerick.

The Robert Tyner-trained gelding won a point-to-point at Curraghmore in October 2020 but has not been seen since filling the runner-up spot just ten days later in a Fairyhouse bumper.

The 4/1 chance travelled well to head the front-running Mahler Mission after the penultimate flight, and was ridden out by Mark Walsh to go clear of that rival in the closing stages to score by six and a half lengths. Ernie McCracken kept on one paced to finish another eight and a half lengths away in third.

Tyner, who went on to complete a treble later in the day, said “We always liked him a lot but he just had a lot of little problems, nothing major.

“I nearly had him ready to run a few times last spring and the horses just weren’t right. He also had a couple of hold ups this year.

“He won his point-to-point and I ran him back too soon in a bumper. He has a nice way about him.”