Kerry National Runners 2024 Include Two Past Cheltenham Festival Winners

The Kerry National runners ahead of the 2024 renewal on Wednesday are headed by several star names – including and army of five from the Gordon Elliott yard and also two previous Cheltenham Festival heroes.

The Real Whacker and Flooring Porter The Star-Named Kerry National Runners

Wednesday’s Kerry National is billing up to be one of the best renewals for some time with several well-known horse racing jumping stars heading to the Listowel track in County Kerry on the east coast of Ireland.

Two of those big names are also proven Cheltenham Festival winners – The Real Whacker and Flooring Porter – as National Hunt fans can now smell the start of the new season.

The Real Whacker, who is trained in North Yorkshire by Patrick Neville, will make the trip over and connections are reporting their 8 year-old as “better than his was last year”.

Regular The Real Whacker rider Sam Twiston-Davies also heads to Listowel to keep the partnership – having ridden him in all his last seven races, including his big day in the sun when landing the 2023 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase – beating Gerri Colombe by a short head.

RELATED: Kerry National Trends 2024 Highlight A Standout Listowel Runner To Have On Your Radar

The other past Cheltenham Festival winner that will be a Kerry National runner in 2024 is Flooring Porter – the two-time Stayers’ Hurdle champion.

Flooring Porter was also runner-up 12 months ago in the Festival race he’s won twice – being beaten  3 3/4 lengths by Teahupoo.

Connections had campaigned him a bit over the bigger obstacles last season too – running four times and winning on his chase debut at Cheltenham last October.

However, he was last seen running down the field at Killarney over fences in July, so will need to bounce back from that. But, in his defence, that race was run over a much shorter trip (2m1f) than he’s used to.

Both The Flooring Porter and The Real Whacker are also figuring high up the market with the best betting sites in the UK.

Kerry National 2024 Time and Date

📅Date: Wednesday 25th September 2024
⌚Time: 4:20pm
🏇Racecourse: Listowel (3m)
💰Winning Purse: €118,000
📺 TV: Sky Sports Racing / TG4

The Last Two Kerry National Winners Are Also Back For More

In addition to the two past Cheltenham Festival winners in the field, the 2024 Kerry National runners also feature the winners of the race for the last two years.

Desertmore House is the current champ, after winning the prize 12 months ago for the Martin Brassil team and is one of just two proven CD winners in the line-up. The 9 year-old will be back on a 9lb higher rating.

The only other proven course and distance winner in the Listowel field is the 2022 winner Bussleton.

This Joseph O’Brien-trained 7 year-old won the Kerry National aged just 5 a few years back and has warmed up for a tilt at trying to win back his crown by running on the flat at Tramore last month (7th of 11).

Bussleton will be back running off just a pound higher rating than his 2022 win.

Fakir d’Oudairies Another Big Name Kerry National Runners For 2024

The big Kerry National runners don’t end there.

Step forward a certain Fakir d’Oudairies too, who many horse racing fans will know as the horse that was runner-up in the 2020 Arkle and 2021 Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

The JP McManus-owned chaser is back this season on a 4lb lower rating and is now also rated 6lbs lower than his last win, which came at Thurles back in January 2023.

Despite this Fakir d’Oudairies is still the class act in the race and as a result well have to shoulder top-weight of 11-12 – giving weight away all round.

Gordon Elliott Bidding For Third Kerry National Win Since 2016 With Strong Hand

Top Irish handler Gordon Elliott has a decent record in the Kerry National – he’s won the prize twice since 2016 and is back for more with a decent hand.

Elliott has five Kerry National runners entered – Zanahiyr, Duffle Coat, The Goffer (5th last year), Chemical Energy (6th last year) and Hurricane George (11th last year).

With Jack Kennedy likely to have had the pick over the Elliott runners, his mount Zanahiyr might attract the most attention with the best horse racing betting sites in the UK.

Willie Mullins and Paul Townend Team Up With Rich Ricci-Owned Kerry National Runner

Trainer Willie Mullins, who has won the race three times, last won the Kerry National in 2020 with Cabaret Queen and with Paul Townend riding his only entry in 2024 – Horantzau D’airy, who is owned by Rich Ricci.

Horantzau D’airy was last seen falling in his race at Killnarney in August, but was still in with a shout at the time.

Prior to that tumble had run an excellent third to Ashdale Bob in a Grade 3 Chase at the Galway Festival – form that gives him a leading chance here.

With just five runs over fences there could also be more to come from this Willie Mullins chaser that only has 10-10 to carry here.

Kerry National Runners and Riders 2024 In Full

Kerry National Winners (Past 10 Years)