'I'd love to have a crack at the Grand National' - Flooring Porter team weigh up Aintree following Listowel heroics

Flooring Porter is the "gift that keeps on giving" according to joint-owner Ned Hogarty, who says he knew the Kerry National was over after just two fences and that he would love to have a crack at next year's Randox Grand National.

The Flooring Porter syndicate are renowned for their post-race celebrations and they didn't let us down in the aftermath of his heroics as Gavin Cromwell and Keith Donoghue were lifted up on their shoulders after the dual Stayers' Hurdle winner turned the showpiece of the Listowel Harvest Festival into a procession last week.

Now Aintree could be on the agenda for the horse who cost just €5,000. He is a 33-1 shot to add the world's most famous jumps race to his growing list of achievements which have seen him earn nearly €1 million.

Hogarty said: "He's just the gift that keeps on giving and the whole place can't stop talking about him. It's incredible – a horse who cost us five grand has now won nearly a million."

Reflecting on his all-the-way win in the Kerry National, which has seen his chase mark go up by a stone to 163, he said: "It was unbelievable. The way he did it was just incredible, wasn't it? I watched it just outside the parade ring at the bottom of the stand and, after only jumping two, I turned around and said, 'This is over, unless something mad happens or there's some sort of incident'. Just the way he was travelling after those two fences, I couldn't see any horse beating him. The race was over."

Flooring Porter: an easy winner of the Kerry NationalCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

And so it proved as Flooring Porter sauntered his way up the home straight under a motionless Donoghue to beat his 16 rivals into submission.

"The funny thing was hearing Keith say afterwards that he didn't think he was going that fast," Hogarty said. "Really good horses were taken out of their comfort zone. I was studying the race beforehand and there were Graded horses in there, The Real Whacker and Perceval Legallois. Proper horses.

"I always go to Listowel and I've always loved the craic down there. I thought the race would suit him down to the ground - three miles, left-handed and not too hard fences. We toyed with the idea of going to America with him, but it cost 40 grand to bring him over there, 400 quid brought him to Listowel."

On the prospect of having a go at the Grand National, Hogarty said: "There's a part of me that would love to see him have a crack at the Grand National and I think the horse deserves to have his chance in it. The one thing we know is that he goes best fresh so if he were to go for it, we'd love to have him fresh for it. He's a Graded horse.

"The only thing is, he runs with the choke out and four miles and two [furlongs] could turn into six miles for him, that's the one worry I would have for him in a National, so we'll have to see. The Cleeve Hurdle might be the race for him before then."

When asked how long the celebrations went on for last Wednesday night, Hogarty replied: "We had some night! We carried Keith into the Listowel Arms on our shoulders. He's not getting any lighter either.

"The day that stands out most of all was the second time he won the Stayers' Hurdle when we were all there at Cheltenham. But, I'll tell you something, last Wednesday wasn't far away from that. It was a magic day. He's just been an incredible horse for us all and we can't believe how lucky we've been."

Randox Grand National (April 5, 2025)
William Hill: 12 I Am Maximus, 20 Corbetts Cross, Intense Raffles, 25 Minella Cocooner, Kitty's Light, Monty's Star, Chianti Classico, Inothewayurthinkin, 33 bar

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