Daniel King is thrilled to have kept the ride on Galway Plate hero King Alexander as he bids to land another big pot in Wednesday’s Guinness Kerry National at Listowel.
The young rider enjoyed a spectacular two days at Ballybrit in late July, first steering King Alexander to victory for Willie Mullins before becoming the first jockey since 1984 complete the Galway Plate-Galway Hurdle double the following day aboard the Tony Martin-trained Putapoundinthejar.
King could easily have been replaced by stable jockey Paul Townend or another of the Mullins regulars in the Harvest Festival’s €200,000 feature, but the champion trainer has decided to keep him on board for owner John Neocleous, who recently saw his colours carried to an historic Classic success by the Saffie Osborne-ridden Highwayman in the St Leger at Doncaster.
“I’m really looking forward to it and was delighted to see my name beside him on Monday morning, so a big thanks to Mr Mullins and the owner for keeping me on him,” said King.
“Hopefully he’ll run a big race. I suppose you need a lot of luck in a big handicap like that, so hopefully we’ll have some on our side.
“The way he won in Galway it was a very good performance. The fences take a lot of jumping around Listowel, but at Galway he was good, so touch wood he runs well.”
King Alexander, who bids to become the first horse to win the Galway Plate and Kerry National since Aidan O’Brien’s Life Of A Lord in 1995, is part of a strong Mullins team, with Townend keeping the faith in Funiculi Funicula, who was a disappointing favourite in the Galway Plate.
The Closutton squad also includes Ballygunner Castle (Danny Mullins), Uncle Pat (Sean Cleary-Farrell) and Spread Boss Ted (Brian Hayes).
The Galway Plate form is well advertised, with Paul Nolan saddling the runner-up Conyers Hill, Gordon Elliott relies on the fourth home Nowwhatdoyouthink and Henry de Bromhead is represented by the fifth Downmexicoway.
Nolan said of his runner, who has also finished second in the Mayo National, in a valuable race at the Punchestown Festival and was fourth in last year’s Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham: “It’s not easy for him to get his head in front and he keeps going up in the weights as though he has won, but at the same time he was the last horse to get into the Galway Plate, so you can’t really give out to the handicapper too much.
“The last day I thought he was a little bit unlucky and in fairness he did go to the line very well. Maybe that was his day.
“He’s off his highest mark ever now off 139, but according to the handicapper he’s improving, so we’ll see if we can get a bit of luck and hopefully he’ll run respectably.
“He’s been great for the syndicate, he’s taken them to some great places and runs his race every day. If he keeps doing that you can’t complain too much.”
Eric McNamara has won the Kerry National three times and this year saddles four runners in French Dynamite, Doctor Ken, Look To The West and Weveallbeencaught.
He said: “It’s been a very lucky race for us and I’d love to win another one. We’ve four shots and I don’t think I’ve ever had four runners in any race in my life.
“French Dynamite will love the good ground and I think we’ve got a very good 7lb claimer on in Joey Dunne because he has top-weight off 11st 12lb. I’m really looking forward to him, and then we’ve three others who I suppose I’d like to see an ease in the ground for, but they’re all going to run.
“Look To The West is a very nice mare out of Henry de Bromhead’s and I think she’ll run well. Doctor Ken is a horse I bought out of Olly Murphy’s and he’s a gorgeous horse. I’m expecting a big run from him to be honest – he’s working very well. Weveallbeencaught is the one horse who would want soft ground.
“If I had to put my neck on the line I’d have to go for French Dynamite to be the best of them.”
Paul Gilligan’s Galway Blazers winner Kings Hill also features in a wide-open contest.
Share