Guinness Kerry National: guide to the key players

Eight of the last ten renewals have featured the words yielding, soft or heavy in the going description, but with the forecast set fair over the next few days, that looks very unlikely this year. 

The two renewals run on good ground were both won by Joseph O'Brien, and though he (surprisingly) doesn't have a runner this year, they might still provide some clues.  

The Willie Mullins-trained Recite A Prayer split two O'Brien runners in 2022, with Henry De Bromhead runners fourth and fifth, while a year earlier Mullins had saddled the second and third. All three Closutton runners were sent off at big prices, while his recent winners of the race – Cabaret Queen in 2020 and Spanish Harlem in 2025 – were sent off at 6-1 and 16-1 respectively. 

Spread Boss Ted was behind Funiculi Funicula when the last-named won at Punchestown in May, and ran well at Galway last time considering he made several jumping errors on the inside when short of room at key stages. 

Both look of interest at big prices for the Mullins team, a comment that also applies to Uncle Pat who was a course winner over hurdles and would have preferred a stiffer examination of stamina than he faced when second of four at Killarney last month. Stablemate You Oughta Know was sent off the 9-2 favourite for this last year, but hasn't shown enough since to make much appeal. 

But the Mullins team is led by King Alexander who will bid to become the first horse to complete the Galway Plate/Kerry National double since Life Of A Lord in 1995. The former Nicky Henderson inmate was ahead of Conyers Hill (second, beaten just half a length), Nowwhatdoyouthink (fourth), Downmexicoway (fifth) and several others further down the field who could reoppose. 

Although 4lb worse off at the weights with the runner-up, King Alexander has more scope for further progress over this trip over fences and he looks the right favourite to me, though Nowwhatdoyouthink hasn't been with Gordon Elliott for long and looks the type to improve for this step back up in trip. 

The distance is a question mark for the Henry de Bromhead-trained Downmexicoway, but he shaped as if it wouldn't be a problem when running on well at Galway, and he's another who should come forward for the run. 

Last year's third, the veteran French Dynamite, is also back for another crack and he should come on plenty for a pipe-opening run over hurdles earlier this month. He's 5 lb higher, though, and could prove vulnerable from a handicapping point of view.  

That comment may also apply to his trainer Eric McNamara's new recruitsLook To The West and Doctor Ken, though it would be rash to assume that the younger Gavin Cromwell runner Will The Wise doesn't have more improvement to come from this career-high mark. He was still in there pitching turning for home at Galway, tiring only late on, and the Topham winner is still of interest. 

The 2022 Galway Plate winner Hewick departed at the last when holding every chance when attempting the double, but last year's race saw British raider Light N Strike only get as far as the first.