Alfa Beat

Alfa Beat was a very impressive winner of the Kerry National at Listowel on Wednesday, continuing his rapid progression since joining Charles Brynes. Sent off a well-supported second favourite, he was always travelling well enough for Barry Geraghty, held up just towards the outside at the back of the field. He made good progress after they set off on their final circuit, gradually making ground down the outside, with Geraghty electing to move him even wider when they started down the back straight in order that he could race on better ground. He joined Finger Onthe Pulse on the turn for home and he picked up well, jumped the last two fences really well, and galloped on all the way to the line to get the better of the Galway Plate winner, and to withstand the late challenge of Dancing Tornado.

There is still no real telling how far Alfa Beat could go, he is still only six and he is still only a novice. He has now won his last five races, four chases and one hurdle race, which has seen his chase mark increase from 92 to 149 and his hurdles mark move from 99 to 117. Charles Byrnes was talking about the four-mile National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham next March for him, and that makes sense. He is a real galloper who should be at his best over that type of trip on good ground, and he will be of major interest for that contest. In the shorter term, his hurdles mark is 28lb lower than his chase mark, so there could be a nice handicap hurdle for him in the coming months.

15th September 2010

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