After finishing a fine second on his Irish debut at Killarney earlier this month, King Ferdinand went a place better in the www.thurlesraces.ie Handicap Chase.

A winner at Huntingdon in March when trained by Tom Lacey, the six-year-old had his first start Eugene O'Sullivan and the Gortroe Racing Club at the Co Kerry venue.

Sent off an easy-to-back favourite at 10/3 (from 9/4), the son Milan was settled behind the leaders by Michael O'Sullivan, nephew of the winning trainer.

Much closer in second from five out, the bay victor jumped to the front at the second last and kept on well in the straight, going on to prevail by a length-and-three-parts.

.Well Joey (25s early, returned 14/1) ran on well to take second under Mark McDonagh for Paul Stafford, while Early Arrival (7/1) was another five-lengths away in third.

There was drama at the first with Jetango falling, bringing down Lessofdnegativity and hampering many others in the process.

"I was lucky to avoid the trouble on the way around and he did it nicely," the winning rider revealed.

"I kicked on at the top of the hill as he stays all day, he missed the last but still pricked his ears at the back of it.

"Hopefully there is more days in him, he is the first horse for a local syndicate and it is great for them. These colours go back a long way and were previously called the Kilshannig Syndicate after the GA A team at home and they started it up again this year."

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes