Walsh forces Storm home

Backers of Saddlers Storm the 5/4 favourite for the Irish Racing Post Handicap Chase, were thankful to Ruby Walsh for collecting, as his strength saw the Saddlers' Hall gelding get up on the run-in and prevail by half a length.

Droim Toll looked a likely winner when hitting the front two out but Saddlers Storm, up 12Ibs for a course romp last month, stays really well and he came home best to win out. He then had to survive a steward's enquiry due to minimal contact on the run-in, in truth though he was never likely to be in trouble.

Tony Martin said of the Billy Moffett-owned winner: "We'll keep him to those three mile races. He'll have a week off now and we'll go for something in three or four weeks. He has plenty of options from now on. I wouldn't be getting carried away though, the jockey won it for him."