Five the magic number for Willie Mullins' Kerry National bid

William Dobbie Updated: 3 hours ago

For many, the Kerry National signals that British & Irish racing is preparing to switch from Flat mode and back to National Hunt.

Although there are still many major races still to come on the level, the bulk of the campaign is now behind us and jumps trainers all across the British Isles are starting to prepare their yard for targets heading into the Autumn and winter.

Wednesday's Kerry National is the feature contest from the famous seven-day long Listowel Harvest Festival that runs from Sunday to Friday.

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After months of Aidan O'Brien dominance on the flat, racing fans will soon become re-accustomed to Willie Mullins sweeping all before him over obstacles.

The depth and quality of horse currently housed in Closutton is to the envy of all in the National Hunt game and that has given Mullins the opportunity to fire five bullets -- two more in reserve -- at the Kerry National.

Spanish Harlem provided the 70-year-old with his fourth win in the race 12 months ago and King Alexander (5/1) looks likely to start as favourite when runners head to post on Wednesday afternoon. Young jockey Daniel King retains his position in the saddle after partnering the eight-year-old to success in the Galway Plate earlier this summer and he should be at home on the decent ground that is expected at Listowel this week.

It will come as no surprise to learn that it is another Mullins inmate that is likely to challenge King Alexander for favouritism after Paul Townend opted to get aboard Funiculi Funicula (6/1) in the three-mile showpiece. A very lightly-raced two from five chaser, he was well beaten in the aforementioned Galway Plate but is definitely better than that if you go off the evidence of his victory at the Punchestown Festival.

Ballygunner Castle (16/1), Spread Boss Ted (22/1) and Uncle Pat (16/1) also line up for Mullins.

Runner-up to Mullins in the Irish Trainers' Championship last season, Gordon Elliott will be desperate, yet again, to overhaul his great rival at the top of the standings and he runs Nowwhatdoyouthink (6/1). Another that is fairly unexposed with just nine runs to his name over fences, he has been one for the trends heading into this contest. At seven, he seems to have the right profile and age to improve further on his Galway Plate fourth in July.

Gavin Cromwell wouldn't be a man to let a big pot like this go by without a fight and he is doubly represented with Will The Wise (10/1) and Perceval Legallois (33/1). It is the former that is the more fancied of the two after finishing runner-up in the Plate at the Cheltenham Festival before going one better in the Topham at Aintree just one month later.