As big race outcomes go, Flooring Porter’s resounding success in Wednesday’s Guinness Kerry National at Listowel is easy to sum up – straight to the lead and stayed there.
Neither has it ever been so easy to predict any ‘National’ outcome so far from the finish.
The Gavin Cromwell trained 6-1 shot quickly built up a lead under jockey Keith Donoghue and extended it to massive proportions by halfway in what is usually an intensely competitive €200,000 highlight.
As a former dual-Stayers’ Hurdle champion, Flooring Porter was never going to tie-up at the end of three miles on rain-softened ground, and although Horantzau D’airy closed the gap to less than five lengths at the line this was a victory of real authority.
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It was the latest addition to a remarkable CV by the horse bought for less than five grand by his adoring syndicate ownership.
The hero of the hour, famous for his foibles, stood perfectly in the crowded Listowel winner’s enclosure in front of a public that appear to have warmed to his story, quirks and all.
It completed a plan first devised by Cromwell six months ago which aimed to exploit the top-class hurdler’s relatively low handicap mark over fences and make the most of Flooring Porter’s marked preference for racing left-handed.
Nevertheless, his JP McManus-owned stable companion Perceval Legallois was marginally preferred in the betting as an 11-2 favourite. But like most of the pack he couldn’t live with Flooring Porter’s tempo and could only finish sixth.
The Real Whacker’s attempts to keep tabs ended up with the English raider unseating Sam Twiston-Davies at the 10th, after which it was Flooring Porter’s to lose.
It was a first win over fences in Ireland for Cromwell’s star and ninth career success in all.
“He was in serious shape. When he gets into that rhythm there is no stopping him, he’ll just keep it going. Keith said he was just a passenger – he couldn’t go any slower!” said Cromwell after his first success in the prestigious handicap.
A gallant runner-up to Tehaupoo in his attempt at a third Stayers’ crown at Cheltenham last March, some major prizes over both flights and fences could be open to Flooring Porter during the winter.
“This has been the plan since Cheltenham basically. We can always go back over hurdles as well, but I don’t know where we go next,” Cromwell added. “It’s a brilliant race to win and we’ll enjoy this. He’s been a horse of a lifetime, for me and for the syndicate.”
Lucid Dreams ran an honourable third at 28-1 while another outsider, Churchstonewarrior, filled fourth.
Zanahiyr, one of five Gordon Elliott hopefuls for the big race, eventually finished fifth after a blunder at the first fence and getting hampered at the fourth under Donagh Meyler. He’d replaced Jack Kennedy, who was stood down for the day after being unseated in the previous race.
Prior to that, Kennedy had struck in a novice hurdle aboard Zanahiyr’s half-brother, Zariygann. A half-sister, Zaynab, won the opening race of the festival on Sunday.
The champion jockey’s spill did cost him a winner later on as Elliott’s Shecouldbeanything landed a novice chase in good style under Sam Ewing. It was a first win over fences for the evens favourite.
Willie Mullins was out of luck in the big race but unveiled an exciting German recruit in the opener in Sea Of Sands.
A Group Three winner on the flat in Germany in 2021, the gelding made his jumping debut under Patrick Mullins, who reported: “He jumped the first well, but I think that was probably the only one he jumped well!
“He’ll probably have to learn. He was just a bit keen as a lot of those Flat horses are. We’ll look at mixing it with him. There might be a nice Flat race in him before the season ends.”
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