Karl Thornton continues to maintain a very healthy strike-rate with his runners and the Co Dublin trainer landed the 'Colours Bar' Handicap Chase at Leopardstown today with Bearly Legal under Donagh Meyler.

The son of Court Cave was slowest to start and then seemed to have surrendered his chances with a slow jump at the second fence, which left him trailing the field. However Meyler soon had him in contention and the pair eventually stayed on well in the home straight for a four lengths win over Kayf Supreme

Bearly Legal's win was Thornton's seventh from just 31 runners in Ireland this season and following the win, stated “he likes a galloping track like that, and was entitled to run well on his run here at Christmas.

"I think he's more of a spring horse than a winter horse. He'll probably have a bit of a break now, and I'm hoping he could sneak into the Irish National.

"He ran over 3m1f the last day but I think he stays. It was just the ground the last day."

By Tom Weekes, quotes from Alan Magee