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Willie & Eric Mc going all out for Kerry National glory

King Alexander King Alexander
© Healy Racing Photos

Successful last year with Spanish Harlem, Willie Mullins bids for a fifth win in Wednesday's Guinness Kerry National at Listowel.

"It has big prizemoney and where else can they go," said the multiple-times champion trainer who kicked off the Harvest Festival with a treble yesterday.

"They are summer horses, and they'll run if the ground stays good. 

"I'm very pleased with (Galway Plate winner) King Alexander, although it is always a tough ask to win two big handicaps in one season, for any horse."

Daniel King retains the ride on the Mount Nelson eight-year-old who will race off an 8lb higher mark.

Paul Townend again partners unplaced Galway Plate favourite Funiculi Funicula, with Plate also-rans Spread Boss Ted (Brian Hayes) and Ballygunner Castle (Danny Mullins) also take their chance.

Uncle Pat (Sean Cleary-Farrell) and You Oughta Know (Josh Williamson) complete the Mullins' sextet.

Eric McNamara has landed the Kerry National three times and last year's third French Dynamite heads the Rathkeale handler's four-pronged assault on the 200,000 euro contest.  

Second to French Dynamite in last October's Munster National at Limerick, Weveallbeencaught lines up here with Sean Flanagan on board.

McNamara also unleashes stable debutants Doctor Ken (ex-Olly Murphy) and Look To The West (ex-Henry de Bromhead in the three-miler, with Mark Walsh and Danny Gilligan, respectively, doing the steering.

About Mark Nunan
Mark has followed racing since he was a teenager and worked for many years as a broadcaster with the Irish version of Racecall. He joined the Press Association in 2019 and is also a contributor to the Racing Post. A native of Kildare, he now lives in Sligo.