Bahrain Storm is on course for a tilt at the tote.com Galway Plate after taking the opening night feature at Killarney's four-day July meeting, the Irish Open July 28th – July 31st Chase.

David Casey produced the 5/4 favourite to challenge the front-running Echo Bob (5/2) at the last, and the gallant eight-year-old gelding stayed on really well on the run-in to beat that rival by three and a half lengths.

Casey was maintaining a 100% record since returning recently from a honeymoon in Mauritius and Cape Town with his bride Aine Byrne, having also won aboard Some Say on his only ride at Sligo yesterday.

Winning trainer Pat Flynn said: “He's like a lamb at home, very easy going and nothing is a bother to him. He's a good jumper, and the more you push him the more he finds. We decided to run him here over two miles and a furlong, rather than a longer trip later in the week, to get him jumping quickly. He's got 11.5 in the Galway Hurdle and just 9.10 in the Plate. We'll probably go for the Plate as it would be boring to win the Hurdle again!”

Flynn of course was referring to his win in the Galway feature in 2009, and the gelding again ran a cracker in the Galway Hurdle 12 months ago when runner-up to Overturn.

He carries the colours of the Sweeney family from Loughrea, Co. Galway under the banner of the Cousins Syndicate.

Alan Magee