Guinness Kerry National tips: two fancies at 16-1 and 9-1

We are in for a midweek treat at Listowel on Wednesday with a stellar field declared for the €200,000 Guinness Kerry National, which will be shown live on Racing TV at 4.20pm. 

Perceval Legallois is vying for favouritism at the time of writing and if there is one contender who is potentially a few pounds ahead of the handicapper, it could be him based upon his luckless fall in the valuable Leopardstown Handicap Chase in February. He was set to give Heart Wood, who finished third at Grade One level next time out, a race and would have finished well clear of the third. 

He's always been held in high regard by Gavin Cromwell and a rating of 142 may well underestimate him, but his jumping let him down again at times in the Galway Plate last time, and there will be little margin for error in this race. 

You could argue Flooring Porteris also well handicapped, but the high-class hurdler hasn’t scaled the same heights over fences yet. 

The likes of Zanahiyr, Duffle Coat and Amirite all hold each-way claims, but they all appear in the grip of the handicapper, and class could come to the fore with THE REAL WHACKER in the field. 

The 2023 Brown Advisory winner was highly tried last season but didn’t quite progress as expected, although he did finish second in the Cotswold Chase, and fourth in the King George. 

However, Patrick Neville believes his stable star wasn’t at his best last season and has had the Guinness Kerry National in mind for some time. If he bounces back to his best, then he should be capable of going close off a rating off 155, 7lb below the rating he began on last season. 

The fact he races handily is also a positive at this track and he jumps well, while the ground will also be in his favour. 

Neville struggled to hit form last season, but his recent stats, since moving yards, have been more positive and I'm hoping his eight-year-old, who wears a tongue tie for the first time, will get into a decent rhythm up with the pace.

At bigger prices, one that catches the eye is BUSSELTON who won this race two years ago and while he has struggled since, he’s had excuses and a second tilt at this contest looks to have been a long-term plan. 

Joseph O’Brien’s charge showed a brilliant attitude when successful in 2022 off a rating of 142 and it is probably best to forgive his efforts in testing conditions last year as his best form is on good ground. 

As a result of those below-par performances, he’s now just a pound higher this year and is certainly handicapped to strike. 

The seven-year-old has been given three runs on the flat in recent months, which included a victory at Galway in July, and he should be primed to run a big race here. 

This test clearly suits him well and the ground will be ideal, so he won’t have any excuses on Wednesday plus his handler remains in good form. 

1 point win on THE REAL WHACKER at 9-1 with Coral and Ladbrokes.

1 point win on BUSSELTON at a general 16-1.