FOUR winners and one third from just five runners this season – Shane Byrne’s mid-season report card would certainly read as top of the class, as the notable success of his one-man operation has slipped somewhat under the radar.

The former point-to-point rider, who partnered 47 winners between the flags for the likes of Denis Murphy and Colin Bowe, including maiden successes on horses such as Shinrock Paddy, Casey Top and Another Jewel, is enjoying a breakthrough year in his new role as a handler, in what is a legacy of his late father Aidan.