KYLECRUE continued his love affair with Listowel by claiming the Kerry Group Handicap Chase for the third successive year on the opening day of the Harvest Festival.

John Ryan's stable stalwart claimed the valuable prize in 2015 and 2016 and went on to win the Southampton Goodwill Chase later in last year's meeting.

He was a 6/1 shot to complete his hat-trick in this race and secure his fourth course success overall in the hands of Danny Mullins, and knuckled down to beat The Gatechecker by half a length.

Ryan is hoping his charge will make the cut for Wednesday's Guinness Kerry National.

"He'll take some beating on Wednesday if he gets in. He was first reserve and didn't get in last year and could get balloted out again this year, but hopefully not," said the trainer.

"If he doesn't get in, he'll run in the Southampton Goodwill Chase later in the week again and will then run in the Munster National at Limerick. He loves that heavy ground.

"He has won €230,000 in prize-money now and is a great bit of stuff. He has run four times over fences here and has never been beaten."

THRILLING

The Game Changer and Ballycasey, better known for their exploits over fences, fought out a thrilling climax to the Kerrymaid Hurdle.

Gordon Elliott's 4/1 shot The Game Changer looked to have mastered the Willie Mullins-trained 4/6 favourite Ballycasey on the run to the final flight, but wandered on the run-in to give the odds-on shot a chance.

Ruby Walsh threw everything at Ballycasey, but The Game Changer clung on by a head under 7lb claimer Chris Meehan.

"He just started to idle in front but did it quite nicely," said the winning rider. "I was wondering how well he'd go on that ground and he took me there the whole way and settled very well.

"He has massively found his way again and that was good from him today."

Meehan doubled up aboard Eric McNamara's Silver Planeur (14/1) in the Low Low Irish EBF Mares Handicap Hurdle.

BELATED SUCCESS

Champoleon (11/4) belatedly opened his account over jumps in the Charleville Cheese Maiden Hurdle.

Noel Meade's grey passed the post in front in a maiden hurdle at Punchestown in the spring of 2015, but was later disqualified after a banned substance was found in his sample.

He was fourth on his return from over two years off the track at Bellewstown last month and found the necessary improvement to claim this prize by three lengths.

Winning jockey Sean Flanagan said: "He got a leg and I suppose he was unlucky to have had the race taken off him in 2015. He ran a blinder the last day and we thought he'd improve a good bit from it."

Roger McGrath's 5/4 favourite Miss Eyecatcher dominated her rivals in the Cheestrings Mares Novice Chase in the hands of David Mullins.

Joseph O'Brien landed the Kerry Group 3-Y-O Hurdle with Grey Waters (7/2).

Alan Fleming's Massey's Wood (1/2 favourite) sauntered clear in the Kerry Group Flat Race.

READ THE FULL REPORTS FROM THE LISTOWEL FESTIVAL IN NEXT WEEKEND'S EDITION OF THE IRISH FIELD