Triumphant return for Cousin Vinny

Cousin Vinny defied a 22-month absence, caused by a tendon injury, when justifying odds-on favouritism in the opening Festival Free Upgrade Offer Ends Today Hurdle at Punchestown yesterday.

Winner of Grade 1 bumpers at the Cheltenham and Punchestown Festivals in 2008 and out of action since April 2010, the nine-year-old displayed plenty of his old sparkle to defeat Won in The Dark and Tofino Bay, despite fluffing the last hurdle.

Despite the mistake, the Ruby Walsh-ridden Cousin Vinny forged clear to triumph by three and a quarter lengths, to the delight of his trainer Willie Mullins.