Review listowel 14th Sep

< Alfa Beat put in a superb round of jumping to capture the valuable Guinness Kerry National Handicap Chase at Listowel for the second year in succession.

Trained by Charles Byrnes last year but now with Shark Hanlon after changing hands at the Doncaster sales as a Grand National prospect, the grey again had Barry Geraghty in the plate.

The jockey took a wide course in search of better ground and after jumping into the lead five out, the 20-1 shot was always travelling best as he beat favourite Bideford Legend by three and three-quarter lengths.

Only three of the declared six ran in the Ballygarry House Hotel Novice Hurdle but it was a fascinating contest won from the front by Paul Carberry's mount Original Option who was completing a hat-trick.

Noel Meade's 3-1 shot was joined by favourite Bullock Harbour at the second-last but beat him off and overcame an awkward jump at the last to score by three and three-quarter lengths.

Christy Roche's Clarkey (8-1) took it up going well heading to the second-last in the Seamus Mulvaney Handicap Chase and Alan Crowe kept him going strongly to score by seven lengths.

The trainer then doubled up when Tony McCoy drove Code Of The West (11-4) home by three-quarters of a length in the MSD Animal Health Maiden Hurdle after a tussle with Littletown Lass

John Oxx is in cracking form and he won the feature Flat race on the card, the Listed Ladbrokes Listowel Stakes, with the outsider of his three What A Charm (12-1).

Winner of the Fred Winter Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival for Arthur Moore, the filly tried to lead all the way under Ben Curtis and battled back when headed to score by four and a quarter lengths.

Declan McDonogh rode a double, dictating the Listowel Arms Hotel EBF Maiden all the way on Kevin Prendergast's Leatherwood (9-4 favourite) and then keeping Ado McGuinness's Toufan Express (9-2) going in the Exchange Inn Ballybunion & Kevin Brodericks Bar Listowel Handicap.