Walnut Beach (near side) with Haxo© Photo Healy Racing
Walnut Beach bagged a first win at Punchestown today, as the Pat Flynn trained gelding landed the Join Racing TV Now Maiden Hurdle under jockey Shane Fitzgerald.
The son of Free Eagle had been runner-up on two of his previous three starts and was today produced to lead on landing after the final flight, staying on well to defeat the Willie Mullins trained Haxo by two and three parts of a length.
Flynn wasn't present and Fitzgerald later said “he did it very well. He had two nice runs over hurdles, he wasn't beaten far on his first start in Roscommon and was just touched off last time. He was very good there.
Quotes from Gary Carson
