Killarney Festival: Key Trainers to Follow Killarney is billed as Ireland's most scenic racecourse and it would be hard to argue for anyone that has ever visited the Co Kerry layout. Their biggest meeting of the year takes place this week, with five days of action as part of their Summer Festival, mixing quality action on the Flat with National Hunt fare for the summer jumpers. They get underway on Monday evening and we're taking a look at some trainers that could be worth following at Killarney. Midnite Betting Offer If you already have a Midnite account, check out more of the best betting sites and online casinos John Murphy Cork native John Murphy looks to cross over into the Kingdom and saddle a winner in his neighbouring county. The trainer based at Upton has saddled 16 winners at Killarney in the past and managed to get a commendable further 27 placed runners from 135 starters. The likes of Touted Plan, Grey Leader, Shiota and Dolce Far Niente are all scheduled to represent Murphy at Killarney in the coming days. Paddy Twomey Trainer Paddy Twomey is fresh off a first Royal Ascot winner in the shape of Queen's Vase winner Carmers. The Tipperary-based handler is dreaming of a tilt at the St Leger later in the season. Twomey will be aiming to target the Killarney summer festival this week, though he will now have to do so without his regular ally in the saddle, Billy Lee. Lee's hopes of being crowned Ireland's champion jockey for the first time have been dealt a blow after he broke his collarbone when brought down at Limerick on Saturday. He was riding Heishybrid for Noel Meade in the Private Suites At Limerick Racecourse Handicap when Woodhsaw Whisper fell, bringing him down. Carmers was one of two Royal Ascot winners for Lee last month, having also scored on Henry de Bromhead's Ascending. Twomey has a hugely impressive strike-rate at Killarney, sending out 15 winners from just 42 runners, enough to give him a 36 per-cent strike-rate at the picturesque layout. In 2024, he had six Killarney runners, with two winners and two more placed. Bond, Naoi and Elana Osario are all declared to represent him across the opening two days of the summer festival this week. Joseph O'Brien Joseph O'Brien tends to do well with his visits to Killarney. He has enjoyed 68 winners here since taking out his license. The Piltown trainer has had 22 winners on the Flat and 18 over jumps in the last five seasons, with a 29 per-cent strike-rate in National Hunt races and a +28.09 profit to a level stake in those races. Willie Mullins Ireland's champion jumps trainer has a 34 per-cent strike-rate at Killarney across the last five seasons with 35 winners from 102 runners. That in itself is no great shock given Mullins' domination of the jumps scene but punters will perhaps be more surprised to note that his runners show a level stakes profit of +41.35 from those successes. Alpha Capture, Persian Daughter and If You Knew Suzi are all possible contenders in Co Kerry this week for the Closutton powerhouse.
