Walnut Beach cracks handicap puzzle

Walnut Beach sent off 7/2 favourite having been a warm order off course this morning, did the business in the two-mile handicap hurdle.

He made headway from mid-division to lead after the third-last and stayed on well for Gary Noonan to beat Halsafari by a length and three quarters. Still a maiden on the Flat, the five-year-old won his maiden hurdle on testing ground at Punchestown back in February.

Winning trainer Pat Flynn, who celebrated his 800th winner when two-year-old Starspangledwaves won at Dundalk last month, said: "He is a lovely horse and I have a nice few Free Eagles at home and like them.

"He is a devil on the flat as he is lazy and was having a look around in front today. He'll go for another handicap hurdle and can go chasing as well.

"I don't have many jumpers at all for the winter but have some lovely flat horses for next year."

Quotes from Tom Weekes