Snow Falcon is ridden out by Colin Keane© Photo Healy Racing
The well-backed Snow Falcon made all in the feature at Killarney this evening, the Laurels Pub & Restaurant Kingdom Gold Cup Handicap.
A dual Grade 2 winner over flights, the Noel Meade trained seven-year-old was last seen finished eighth of twelve in the Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival in April.
Returning to the level for the first time since last October, the son of Presenting was available at 9/1 last night, touching 7/2 on-course before going off the clear favourite at 11/4.
Sent straight to the front by Colin Keane, the Patricia Hunt owned seven-year-old made all. He went a few lengths clear early in the straight, and was ridden a furlong and a half from home, keeping on well to score by two and three parts of a length.
The well-supported Bayan (33s last night and from 14s to 10s on-course) finished second under Wayne Lordan for Gordon Elliott, while Sea The Lion (7s to 11/2) was another length back in third for Ronan Whelan and Jarlath Fahey.
Keane said afterwards: "He's a proper hurdle horse. Noel said if nobody wanted to make it then let him roll along. I tried to stretch them turning in and he galloped the whole way to the line."
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
