Listowel Racecourse will prepare for one of the biggest contests of the Harvest Festival on Wednesday, September 23, when the Guinness Kerry National will bring an 18-runner field together for a demanding three-mile Grade 3 handicap chase. The €200,000 feature will provide the centrepiece of the meeting and will attract several runners with strong form from major races earlier in the season.
King Alexander will head the field for trainer Willie Mullins after his success in the Guinness Galway Plate. Daniel King will retain the ride as the horse will attempt to complete a notable Galway Plate and Guinness Kerry National double.
Recent history will provide an interesting challenge, as no horse will have completed the double since Life Of A Lord achieved the feat for Aidan O’Brien in 1995. King Alexander will also arrive for owner John Neocleous, who will have enjoyed a recent major success through Highwayman in the St Leger at Doncaster for Joseph O’Brien.
Guinness Kerry National Will Feature Strong Mullins Team
Willie Mullins, who trained last year’s winner Spanish Harlem, will field six runners in the Guinness Kerry National. Stable jockey Paul Townend will partner joint top-weight Funiculi Funicula, who will arrive after failing to get competitive in the Galway Plate.
Funiculi Funicula will bring stronger spring form to Listowel, having won twice earlier in the year, including a Listed contest at Punchestown. Mullins’ team will also include Spread Boss Ted with Brian Hayes, Uncle Pat with Sean Cleary-Farrell, Ballygunner Castle under Danny Mullins and You Oughta Know with Josh Williamson.
Galway Plate form will feature prominently among the leading names. Nowwhatdoyouthink will represent Gordon Elliott after finishing fourth at Galway on his first start for the stable. The runner will be expected to improve from that outing after previously finishing placed at Grade 1 level and winning a Grade 3 race for former trainer Ray Hackett. Jack Kennedy will take the ride.
Downmexicoway will represent Henry de Bromhead after finishing fifth at Ballybrit. Darragh O’Keeffe will partner the runner and will bring strong current-season form into the Listowel feature.
Conyers Hill will arrive with another strong Galway performance behind him after finishing second in the Galway Plate. Trained by Paul Nolan, he will be ridden by Alan O’Sullivan and will have the longer three-mile trip to suit his staying profile. He will also arrive having finished runner-up in his last three starts, all in valuable contests.
Will The Wise will bring a strong spring record to Listowel. Keith Donoghue will take the ride, with the horse having finished second at the Cheltenham Festival before winning the Grade 3 Randox Topham Chase over the Grand National fences at Aintree.
Kings Hill will arrive after winning the Guinness Galway Blazers on his latest start for trainer Paul Gilligan. JJ Slevin will retain the ride, with the runner set to enter the race in what will be the best form of his career.
French Dynamite will provide further experience at the top of the weights. The Eric McNamara-trained veteran will return after finishing third in the 2025 renewal and will have been prepared for another attempt following his recent appearance at Galway. Amateur rider Joey Dunne will claim 7lb.
McNamara will also field Doctor Ken with Mark Walsh and Weveallbeencaught with Sean Flanagan. Their presence will add further depth to a McNamara team that will arrive with recent Listowel form behind it.
The three-mile distance will provide an important test of stamina around Listowel Racecourse, while the competitive field will bring together proven performers, improving runners and horses arriving with form from some of Ireland’s major staying contests.
Maurice Carroll, Chairman of Listowel Races, will welcome the strong support from trainers and owners for the feature. The Guinness Kerry National will continue a long association with the Harvest Festival, with the sponsorship tradition dating back to 1964.
The Guinness Kerry National will headline the Listowel Harvest Festival on September 23, with an 18-runner Grade 3 field set to tackle the demanding three-mile test at Listowel Racecourse.
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