Trainer Michael O'Brien and jockey Ruby Walsh teamed up to good effect when capturing the €150,000 Guinness Kerry National with Banasan at Listowel today.
The 16-runner contest may not have been the greatest renewal of the race but was still a competitive event and
Barrow Drive was a close third, while Garvivonian finished fourth.
Banasan (7-1) was produced by Walsh to lead jumping the second-last. The duo dug deep to hold the challenge of the staying-on Fatherofthebride by a length and a half.
Walsh said: "I got to the front an hour and a half too soon. I was supposed to arrive after the last but he was travelling very easily at the time."
The winning trainer was not present and owner Sean Mulryan missed the race, having arrived late following an enforced diversion in his helicopter en route to the track.
But O'Brien's assistant Denis Cullen said: "He'd won on the (heavy) ground before but it was our only concern coming here.
"We'll see how he comes out of this but he may go for the Munster National at Limerick next month before possibly going to Cheltenham for a race at the November Open meeting."
David Casey, rider of the runner-up, said: "He ran a blinder and might possibly have won if he got to the front sooner.