18 take to post in Kerry National 

Listowel’s seven-day Harvest Festival features in the Irish limelight this week, with the showpiece meeting dating back to 1858. The flagship contest is the Kerry National, a race first staged in 1945 with the winning prize of £252.

Among some of the historic winners is Monty’s Pass, who won the 2002 renewal for Jimmy Mangan and Barry Geraghty, who won the Aintree Grand National a season later. Among the recent winners include the dual Cheltenham Stayer’s Hurdle winner Flooring Porter and Busselton, who landed a double for Joseph O’Brien following Assemble’s success in 2021.

Kerry National Runners

King Alexander 

Willie Mullins won the race last season with Spanish Harlem, and he heads the market with King Alexander. The Mount Nelson gelding won the Galway Plate in July under Daniel King, and while he steps up to three miles for the first time over fences, he was a winner at the trip over hurdles on yard debut for Willie Mullins.

Downmexicoway

Downmexicoway was fifth in the Galway Plate and has a 7lbs swing with the winner, and if he can sharpen up his jumping he has to have a strong chance. He’s largely been campaigned over shorter distances throughout his career but has tended to jump away his chances in stronger quicker company. This slower test over a longer trip could ease the frailties. 

Nowwhatdoyouthink

Gordon Elliott last won the race in 2017 with Potters Point and bids to reclaim the prize with Nowwhatdoyouthink. He switched hands to Gordon Elliott following his third in the Grade 1 Champion Novice for Ray Hackett, behind Eliott’s Western Fold. He was three lengths behind King Alexander in the Galway Plate for his yard debut, and will be suited going back up in trip.

Funiculi Funicula

Funiculi Funicula is the mount of Paul Townend and he made a promising start to his chasing career last season, with form figures of 3211. He took a backwards step when favourite for the Galway Plate, with Townend reporting he weakened quickly.

Conyers Plate

Conyers Plate was second in the Galway Plate and continues to flatter to deceive. The Walk In The Park gelding is a strong traveller but struggles to reach top gear, and will have to be delivered inch perfectly to belatedly return to the winners enclosure.

Will The Wise

Willi The Wise was well plotted out for the festival season by Gavin Cromwell, beginning his chasing campaign early last year in order to qualify for the Cheltenham handicaps. He was second in the Plate to the wildly impressive Madara, but reversed that form in good style when taking the Topham at Aintree.

Kings Hill

Kings Hill has long been highly regarded by connections, contesting the 2024 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle on just his fourth start. He went 0-11 in hurdles after his maiden winner however, but bounce back to form at Limerick in March over fences. He landed a valuable prize at Galway last time out, but has to prove he gets this trip.

2026 Kerry National Runners