'I had this race in the back of my mind all along' - a host of Grade 1 winners clash in Kerry National epic

Is this the hottest running of the Kerry National since the turn of the century? You certainly wouldn't need to have an honours degree in debating to argue that it is given there are two horses in the field who have three Grade 1 wins at the Cheltenham Festival between them, as well as a four-time Grade 1 winner in Fakir D'Oudairies, a four-time runner-up at Grade 1 level in Zanahiyr, and the winners of the race for the last two years in Desertmore House and Busselton. This is a contest the kingdom county can be proud of. 

The two winners of Grade 1 races at Cheltenham are dual Stayers' Hurdle hero Flooring Porter and topweight The Real Whacker, who edged out Gerri Colombe in a thrilling climax to the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase last year. 

He is also one of only two horses to have beaten Gerri Colombe in his whole career, the other being Galopin Des Champs. 

The Real Whacker has been out of sorts since that famous festival success, although he did chase home Capodanno in the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham in January and had the likes of Stay Away Fay and Ahoy Senor behind him. A repeat of that sort of performance would make him very interesting indeed of a tumbling mark of 155. 

The Real Whacker gets the better of Gerri Colombe in the 2023 Brown Advisory Novices' ChaseCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

It is all about rhythm with The Real Whacker. If he's loving it early he will be around late in the day. 

Similar comments apply to Flooring Porter. Like The Real Whacker he's best when able to dictate. We've only seen him over fences four times, but he looked a natural at Cheltenham's showcase meeting last season. 

Stablemate Perceval Legallois was all the rage for the Galway Plate, sent off 7-2 favourite, but he didn't jump or travel as well as he can. He remains very dangerous off a mark of 142, as does Amirite off 143. He has been disappointing in these big handicaps, but this trip, track and ground are all absolutely perfect. 

Zanahiyr is consistent and classy and very hard to rule out of the equation, while the one of the Gordon Elliott team who looks most overpriced is The Goffer at 33-1. 

It's a red-hot running, but perhaps the stage is finally set for Amirite to bag a big one. 

Amirite: could this be his time?Credit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

What they say 

Joseph O'Brien, trainer of Fakir D'Oudairies and Busselton
It's Fakir D'Oudairies' first run after a layoff and any rain that arrives would be good news for him. Busselton is the opposite to Fakir – the quicker the ground, the better for him.

Patrick Neville, trainer of The Real Whacker
He's in great form, really well. I had this race in the back of my mind all the time because there was nothing there for him until November. Ground and everything at the moment is suiting us.

Gavin Cromwell, trainer of Flooring Porter and Perceval Legallois
Flooring Porter seems to be in great form and I suppose we've had this race in mind for a while for him. I think it will really suit him. He doesn't like real heavy ground in the depths of winter and he needs to go left-handed. Things just didn't happen for Perceval Legallois in the Galway Plate. He missed the start and ended up wide. He still ran well enough and he seems in good nick.

Gordon Elliott, trainer of Zanahiyr, Chemical Energy, Duffle Coat, The Goffer and Hurricane Georgie
Zanahiyr is a classy horse and went close in the Galway Plate. He didn't enjoy Tramore and didn't enjoy making the running. A race like this will suit him much better when they are going a lot quicker. Duffle Coat ran a cracker in the Galway Plate and loves these big handicaps. The Goffer has been disappointing but does go well fresh. Chemical Energy wasn't beaten far in the Galway Plate and we've added cheekpieces for this. He's not without a chance. Nor is Hurricane Georgie who ran two massive races at Galway.

Martin Brassil, trainer of Desertmore House
He's very well and we've taken a different approach with this this year. He had done a lot of racing through the winter last year so we decided to give him a break before the race this year and freshen him up. We're happy with his work.

Henry de Bromhead, trainer of Amirite and Toss Again
Amirite seems to be in good form and three miles around Listowel on some nice ground should suit him. Toss Again has a nice weight and seems very well in himself.

Enda Bolger, trainer of Solitary Man
It's a big step up from the novice races he's been running in, but we'll be a lot wiser afterwards as regard to what sort of horse we have on our hands. He's in good form, but it's a hot race as these races for good money always are.

Pricewise's Kerry National tip:

'The ground's right and the track should suit him perfectly' - who does Tom Segal fancy in a cracking Kerry National? 

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