The Local Talent Set To Shine at Listowel's Harvest Festival Listowel’s Harvest Festival takes place between the 21st and 27th September and the atmosphere is always a good one. There’s a good mix of Flat and National Hunt racing across the seven-day fixture. The main event is undoubtedly the Kerry National, a three mile handicap chase with a substantial prize fund and a roll of honour that includes Aintree Grand National winner Monty’s Pass. The local contingent will be looking to make an impact so we’ve selected some County Kerry-based trainers who could make a splash, as well as a couple of Kerry-born jockeys who would relish a winner or two. Thomas Cooper Training less than half-an-hour away in Tralee, Thomas Cooper has 14 National Hunt winners from 152 runners at Listowel. He’s a dual-Grade 1-winning trainer and will probably be best remembered for 2008 Deloitte Novice Hurdle winner Forpaddydeplasterer. Listowel is unsurprisingly his most successful National Hunt track throughout his career, one of which came in a valuable handicap hurdle at this very meeting back in 2005 with Niall Madden doing the steering on Owennacurra Bobby in the Edmond Whelan Memorial Handicap Hurdle. Of all the local active trainers, Cooper is the most notable and it would be no surprise to see him come away with a winner or two at Listowel. Other local trainers There are four other registered trainers who are currently based in County Kerry and they’re all on the smaller end of the scale. Dual purpose handler Ian O’Connor has one Flat winner from 10 runners here at Listowel. He does, however, only have one winner across either code in the last five years or so. The Killarney-based trainer would surely love to add to his tally at Listowel. Thomas P. O’Connor couldn’t be more local and actually trains in Listowel. Currently winless from 42 runners across both codes, the County Kerry man will be keen to rectify that if he sends any runners down the road later this month. It’s a similar story for Charles Coakley and Eamon Courtney, who both train near Killarney, but a winner or two would surely mean a lot to them. Jack Kennedy Born and raised on the Kerry coast in Dingle, Jack Kennedy has had a tough time of things with injuries in the last few years. Oddly enough his record here at Listowel isn’t outstanding but he does have eight winners from 76 rides at the track. Regular boss Gordon Elliott has won the Kerry National a few times and tends to send a strong team over for it. Obviously Kennedy will get his pick of the Elliott string so he’s likely to have plenty of winners. Oisin Murphy Murphy has been based in the UK for quite some time now so there are no guarantees that he will head over to Listowel. He’s one of the most respected jockeys around at the moment though so it’ll be worth taking note if he does. He also has a 25 per cent strike-rate at the track, with one winner from his four rides. There will be plenty of takers interested in his services if he makes the trip across the Irish Sea.
