There’s ample evidence already of teenage jockey Danny Gilligan’s knack for winning big handicaps and he will hope for a timely big-race boost in Wednesday’s Guinness Kerry National at Listowel.
Gilligan burst on to the scene over a year ago when guiding Ash Tree Meadow to Galway Plate glory. Since then he has also landed the Troytown on Coko Beach, won at the Cheltenham festival, and ended last season as Ireland’s champion conditional rider.
Having ridden out his claim at last month’s Galway festival, the 18-year-old’s momentum stalled on the back of a couple of whip suspensions. But he returns to action in time to team up with Duffle Coat in Wednesday’s €200,000 feature.
The pair came within half a length of overhauling Pinkerton in this summer’s Galway Plate, where Gilligan picked up one of his suspensions as Duffle Coat finished better than anything up the Ballybrit hill.
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The grey already has a “national” under his belt this season having landed the Mayo version at Ballinrobe in May, and the way he finished in Galway suggests this notably versatile ground performer should relish Listowel’s three-mile test.
Duffle Coat is one of a handful of Gordon Elliott contenders as he tries to add to back-to-back Kerry National wins with Potters Point and Wrath Of Titans (2016-17).
Jack Kennedy has opted for Zanahiyr, the former high-class hurdler who has scored once in six starts over fences to date. A 149 rating over the bigger obstacles should, in theory at least, make the Elliott number one a major player.
There is no more accomplished hurdler lining up, however, than Flooring Porter, the former dual-Stayers champion who found only Teahupoo too good as he pursued a Cheltenham festival hat-trick last March.
Flooring Porter had reverted to flights after three runs over fences that contributed to his own official 149 rating for this prestigious pot. On quick ground, and going in his preferred left-handed direction, he too has a notable formbook shot at more big-race glory.
“Going left-handed is a big plus for him. We’ve trained him for this race for a long while, so we’re looking forward to it,” his trainer Gavin Cromwell said.
Cromwell can also call on Percevel Legallois, although the JP McManus-owned hope might relish any rain floating around north Kerry. He always seemed to be on the back foot after a slow start in the Plate and can’t afford that again.
The last two winners of the race are back and neither Desertmore House or Bussleton can be discounted. The latter is rated similarly to 2022 and has prepared for this through the summer with three efforts on the flat. He was successful in one of them at the Galway festival. Busselton also holds an entry back on the level in Sunday’s €600,000 Friends of the Curragh Irish Cesarewitch.
The Real Whacker, a Grade One winner at the 2023 Cheltenham festival, has travelled from Yorkshire to represent Askeaton native Paddy Neville, who saddled the 2016 runner-up in this race, Rightville Boy. Macs Supreme in 2000 was the last cross-channel- based winner.
Willie Mullins has a single starter in the handicap debutant Horantzau D’airy, but he lines up on the back of a final fence fall at Killarney last month.
Earlier the champion jumps trainer will hope to score a novice hurdle success with Gaucher, while he introduces an intriguing newcomer to jumps in Sea Of Sands. A Group Three winner in his native Germany, who also lined up in the 2021 Deutsches Derby, the son of Sea The Stars hasn’t run in over two years but now carries the Mullins family colours.
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