Sweet As A Nut lived up to his name when travelling ever so well to win the Earl Of Harrington Memorial Maiden Hunters Chase at Limerick.

He raced just off the leaders in fifth on the outer coming to the third last fence.

Johnny Barry eased him into the lead approaching the home straight. The six-year-old gelding, in the first time tongue strap, didn't come off the bridle in jumping two out with a healthy advantage.

He was shaken up to assert before the last and crossed the line 15 lengths to the good at 3/1. Captain Bizarro (6/1 from 9/1) could make no impression in second but he was 13 lengths in front of Kraken Tale (10/1 from 25s in the morning).

Trainer Michael Barry said: “Johnny has ridden for me twice now and won twice. This is a well-bred horse as his half-brother Westend Story was fifth in the Cheltenham Bumper last March.

“We should have a lot of fun with him and we might think about taking on the big guns in the hunter chase at Leopardstown.”

Barry is based in Mondaniel, Fermoy, Co Cork.

Additional reporting by Alan Magee