Tag Archive for: Kerry National

2024 Kerry National Trends

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Run over 3m the Guinness Kerry National is a Grade A Handicap Chase staged at Listowel racecourse.

Trainer Gordon Elliott has won two of the last 8 runnings and Joseph O'Brien two of the last three - while we’ve not seen a winning favourite in the last 10 renewals.

Here at Geegeez, we take a look back at past winners and gives you some of the key stats to look out for ahead of the 2024 renewal – this year run on Wednesday 25th September.

Recent Kerry National Winners

2023 - Desertmore House (11/1)
2022 - Busselton (13/2)
2021 – Assemble (9/1)
2020 – Cabaret Queen (6/1)
2019 – Poker Party (14/1)
2018 – Snow Falcon (6/1)
2017 – Potters Point (8/1)
2016 – Wrath Of Titans (7/1)
2015 – Rogue Angel (8/1)
2014 – Your Busy (25/1)
2013 – White Star Line (16/1)
2012 – Faltering Fullback (33/1)
2011 – Alfa Beat (20/1)
2010 – Alfa Beat (6/1)
2009 – Northern Alliance (4/1 fav)
2008 – Ponmeoath (9/1)
2007 – Ponmeoath (14/1)
2006 – Bothar Na (10/1)
2005 – Euro Leader (11/2)
2004 – Banasan (7/1)
2003 – Native Performance (8/1)
2002 – Monty’s Pass (9/1)

Kerry National Betting Trends

22/22 – Ran within the last 8 weeks
20/22 – Rated 126 or higher
19/22 – Aged 8 or younger
17/22 – Had run at Listowel before (6 won)
16/22 – Had won at least twice over fences before
16/22 – Finished 4th or better last time out
15/22 – Returned 10/1 or shorter in the betting
14/22 – The first three home were aged 9 or younger
11/22– Had won 5 or more times
11/22 – Favourites placed
11/22 – Winning distance between 1 and 4 lengths
10/22 – Carried 10-9 or more
8/22 – Had won over 3m (or further) before
8/22 – Ran at Galway last time out
3/22 – Trained by Willie Mullins
2/22 – Trained by Joseph O’Brien (2 of the last 3)
2/22 – Trained by Gordon Elliott (2 of the last 7)
1/22 – Winning favourites
9 of the last 10 winners carried 10-10 or less
7 of the last 10 winners carried 10-6 or less
8 of the last 9 winners have been aged 7 or 8
4 of the last 9 winners ridden by a claiming jockey



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The Real Whacker ready for Kerry National test

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Patrick Neville is excited to see The Real Whacker return to his homeland for a tilt at the Guinness Kerry National at Listowel on Wednesday.

The eight-year-old actually began his career at this meeting in 2021, finishing sixth as a 150-1 shot for a maiden hurdle, but has come a long way since.

The Real Whacker won his first three starts over fences at Cheltenham, including a Grade One success over Gerri Colombe at the 2023 Festival, and while he failed to add to his tally in open company last term, he did finish fourth in the King George and second in the Cotswold Chase.

He was pulled up in the Gold Cup and again failed to fire on the final day of the season in the Oaksey Chase at Sandown, but Neville – who moved to Britain in 2019 following 15 years training in Ireland – is optimistic his stable star is back firing on all cylinders ahead of his reappearance.

He said: “We brought him over on Saturday and he’s in good form. He was in Beale beach on Sunday morning riding out and was in the sea water.

“There wasn’t going to be anything for him (in Britain) until maybe November. We didn’t have a great summer and I felt sorry for him out in the field, so we said we’d bring him back in a bit earlier and see if we could get him to Listowel.

“I’ve sort of put a line through last year. Even when we went down to Sandown on the last day looking for good ground, they were watering it on the Friday and then the sky opened and the ground went soft.

“We just didn’t have any luck, but I’m happy with where he is now, he’s prepared well for it and I’m expecting a big run.”

Fakir d’Oudairies in action at Aintree
Fakir d’Oudairies in action at Aintree (Steven Paston/A)

The Real Whacker features in a maximum field of 18 runners plus three reserves following Monday’s declaration stage and is the only British-trained participant.

The weights are headed by four-time Grade One winner Fakir d’Oudairies, one of two runners for Joseph O’Brien along with the 2022 Kerry National hero Busselton.

Zanahiyr heads a five-strong team for Gordon Elliott, while Gavin Cromwell has two major contenders in Flooring Porter and Perceval Legallois.



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Desertmore House takes famous colours to top spot in Kerry National

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Desertmore House ran out a convincing winner of the Guinness Kerry National Handicap Chase at Listowel.

With rain causing the ground to deteriorate there were several withdrawals, which allowed Martin Brassil’s eight-year-old into the valuable prize as second reserve off bottom-weight.

Sporting the colours of Irish and Aintree Grand National hero Numbersixvalverde, connections no doubt have similar prizes on their minds for the 11-1 winner.

Desertmore House came in for late support in a race which was dominated by the major yards numerically, and it looked sure to go to either Gordon Elliott or Willie Mullins as 11-2 favourite Salvador Ziggy (Elliott) and top-weight Authorized Art (Mullins) loomed into contention alongside the pace-setting Foxy Jacks.

But Ricky Doyle, who rode 150-1 Irish National winner Freewheelin Dylan in 2021, smuggled his mount into contention and he fairly sprinted up the home straight, coming home three and three-quarter lengths in front of Salvador Ziggy, with Foxy Jacks battling back for third.

The winner was introduced into Paddy Power’s National betting at 50-1.

“It was a late plan after he won in Kilbeggan and we saw he had gone to 135. He’s a novice that jumps like a handicapper and we just wanted to get more experience into him, whatever the ground was like,” said Brassil.

“There are plenty of races coming up like this – the Munster National, the Troytown at Navan and the Paddy Power – so there are lots of options for a horse that jumps like that.

“He got in as a reserve. Gordon rang me this morning and said ‘you should put your horse in the box as I have one out and we will walk the track and if we’re not happy we’ll take a second one out’.

“It was a real sporting gesture. He’s finished second, but he’s won plenty of these races!

“We’ve had some lovely winners with these colours and Numbersixvalverde is the one that sticks out. This fellow might start us dreaming again. He’s eight and has had a good time to mature.

“They went a bit steady and I said to Ricky if you are still travelling jumping the third-last they are not after going fast enough. I said make sure you are in the van as they will quicken up from there, but they are going to have to stay as well.

“He said it rode a bit slower than they were expecting, but he handled it well.”



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