Alfa Beat completed a remarkable hat-trick of wins for new trainer Charles Byrnes in the October 10th Munster National (QR) Handicap Hurdle when readily justifying strong 11/10 favouritism under a typically cool ride from Robbie McNamara.
McNamara moved the son of Environment Friend to lead two out, before running out the easy four and a half lengths winner over Carutomark
Afterwards Byrnes, in a rush to see Rolling Steel s run at Leopardstown, briefly mentioned "Alfa Beat will run next in the three miles handicap hurdle at Galway on Wednesday."
The horse Alfa Beat's own story is a notable one and worthy of a mention!
A good winner on his only point to point start in '08, the gelding subsequently landed a gamble to win a handicap hurdle at Ballinrobe the following year, before losing all form, each run when trained by Limerick based Carl Dore.
The gelding's last run for Dore, a near enough neighbour of future trainer Byrnes, was when beaten 62l in a Killarney handicap chase on May 9. However, just five weeks late, Alfa Beat, now running for Byrnes, landed another gamble, his career second, when taking a Roscommon handicap chase before following up under a 14lbs penalty at Wexford subsequently and Limerick today!
