Walnut Beach leads El Champo over the last© Photo Healy Racing
Walnut Beach continued a fruitful summer campaign for Pat Flynn, as he landed the feature at Killarney this afternoon, the Listed O'Donoghue Ring Collection Handicap Chase.
Successful on his seventh try over fences at Clonmel in June, the Free Eagle bay since finished down the field at Gowran and Galway respectively.
Back over fences for the first time since that Powerstown Park triumph, the versatile seven-year-old was sent off a 12/1 chance.
Taking closer order with a circuit to go under Gary Noonan, 122-rated victor was close in third on the approach to the straight, improving to dispute the lead after three out.
Left in front by the mistake of El Champo at the next, he was steadied into the last and needed to be ridden out on the run-in to prevail by a length-and-a-quarter.
The aforementioned El Champo rallied from the final fence but ultimately had to settle for second, while The Big Chap (14/1) was a further nine-and-a-half lengths away in third.
Returned the 11/2 joint-favourites, The Dasher Conway and Mars Harper were sixth and eighth respectively.
"It was a lovely pot to win and the horse was electric the whole way around. We quickened up going down the back straight and it turned into a slog but he stayed galloping," Noonan commented.
"I had won on him over hurdles and rode him at Galway the last day but we couldn't put our finger on why he ran so flat. He came here in good form today and Pat fancied him."
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
