Patrick Neville is thrilled to see The Real Whacker return to his roots for a shot at the Guinness Kerry National at Listowel on Wednesday.
The eight-year-old began his career at this very meeting in 2021, finishing sixth as a 150-1 shot in a maiden hurdle, but he has made significant strides since then.
The Real Whacker won his first three races over fences at Cheltenham, including a Grade One victory against Gerri Colombe at the 2023 Festival. Although he didn’t add to his wins in open company last season, he achieved respectable finishes—fourth in the King George and second in the Cotswold Chase.
He was pulled up in the Gold Cup and had another disappointing outing in the Oaksey Chase at Sandown, but Neville, who moved to Britain in 2019 after 15 years of training in Ireland, is optimistic that his stable star is back in form for his return.
"He’s in good shape," Neville said. "We brought him over on Saturday, and he was out riding at Beale Beach on Sunday morning, even getting in the seawater. There weren’t any suitable races for him in Britain until maybe November. We didn’t have a great summer, and I felt sorry for him being out in the field, so we decided to bring him back early and target Listowel. I’m putting a line through last year. When we went to Sandown looking for good ground, they were watering it on Friday, but then the skies opened and the ground went soft. We just didn’t have any luck, but I’m happy with how he’s prepared this time, and I’m expecting a big run."
The Real Whacker is among a maximum field of 18 runners plus three reserves after Monday’s declaration stage and is the only British-trained entry.
The weights are led by four-time Grade One winner Fakir d’Oudairies, one of two contenders for Joseph O’Brien alongside the 2022 Kerry National champion Busselton.
Gordon Elliott fields a strong team of five, including Zanahiyr, while Gavin Cromwell has two major contenders in Flooring Porter and Perceval Legallois.