Black Scorpion foiled a gallant bid by Kylecrue to land the Kerry Group Handicap Chase for the fourth successive year, and in the process completed a double on the opening day of the Listowel Festival for trainer Eric McNamara.

The seven-year-old gelding was all the rage for this 2m4f feature with early quotes of 9/1 this morning soon disappearing and he was further supported on track from 5/1 into 7/2 favourite.

Local claimer Kevin Brouder waited until the second last before sending his mount past the front-running Kylecrue.

Kylecrue made a slight mistake at the last but it wasn’t of any consequence to the result as Black Scorpion came right away on the run-in to score by a convincing four lengths. Deans Road was prominent throughout but could only keep on at one pace a further length and a quarter away in third.

The Rathkeale trainer was completing a 17/1 double having earlier saddled Percy Veer to take the three-mile maiden hurdle.

McNamara said, "He is a lovely horse and he gave as good an exhibition of jumping around there as any horse has ever given. He jumped absolutely brilliantly and Kevin gave him a great ride.

"I'm very lucky to get the horse. John Gleeson (previous trainer) has done an awful lot of schooling with him and has made this horse in fairness. I'm just lucky enough to have got him at this time.

"With the age he is now he is improving away and he'll have no problem getting three miles.

"He might go for the Munster National and could turn out on Saturday here too. It's not beyond the bounds of possibility. I also wouldn't mind winning another (fourth) Kerry National and he might just be the horse to do it next year."

(TW & AM)