Rogue Angel Heads Entries for €175,000 Guinness Kerry National

Rogue Angel, successful in the race last year before going on to win the BoyleSports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse in March, features among an entry of 36 horses for the €175,000 Guinness Kerry National Handicap Chase at Listowel on Wednesday, September 14th.

Trained by Mouse Morris, Rogue Angel beat Willie Mullins’ Urano by a short-head to win 12 months ago before landing the Fairyhouse spectacular by a similar margin from Bless The Wings, trained by Gordon Elliott. Rogue Angel has been allotted 10st 7lbs this time while Your Busy, successful for James Nash and amateur rider Katie Walsh in the Guinness Kerry National in 2014, has been handed an initial weight of 9st 4lbs. In all, Morris has made four entries and he could also be represented by First Lieutenant and  the former BoyleSports Irish Grand National winner Thunder And Roses who are both on 10st 6lbs and Folsom Blue on 9st 10lbs. Morris said, “We have four in the race and we’ll see a bit closer to the time what we’ll run.  They are all in good shape, but the race is a week earlier this year so we’ll know a bit more over the weekend and depending on how things pan out we could have two or three runners.”

First Lieutenant is one of nine horses that contested this summer’s TheTote.com Galway Plate engaged in the Guinness Kerry National. The first six horses home at Galway could all make the line-up with Lord Scoundrel, who won the race for Gordon Elliott, set to carry 11st 4lbs while runner-up Alelchi Inois and the third-placed Ballycasey, who are both trained by Willie Mullins, have been given top-weight of 11st 10lbs and 11st 4lbs respectively. The champion trainer said, “Alelchi Inois, Ballycasey and Devils Bride are all in good form and the plan is to run to run all three. It’s a very good prize to aim them at. Ballycasey won well at Killarney and Alelchi Inois and Devils Bride came out of Galway in good form and the aim at the moment is to run all three. I’d say Kings Wharf (8st 13lbs) will struggle to get in.”

Mullins has also entered his Galway Plate-fourth Devils Bride who is on 11st 8lbs while Elliott could run the fifth-place Clarcam (11st 5lbs) and Shadow Catcher (10st 1lb) who finished sixth. With seven entries in total, he could also be represented by his Triumph Hurdle winner Tiger Roll, another on 10st 1lb, as he bids to win the race for the first time. Elliott said, “Anything that gets in will run. There is such good prize-money, we have to support these races. Lord Scoundrel came out of Galway well and Listowel could suit Clarcam as he didn’t get home at Galway.”

Tony Martin, successful in the Guinness Kerry National in 2009 with the Ruby Walsh-ridden Northern Alliance, has entered Noble Emperor (10st 6lbs) while Dermot Weld, a winner with Treble Bob in 1998, could rely on Three Kingdoms (10st 10lbs) who finished tenth in TheTote.com Galway Plate.

It is 20 years since Harry De Bromhead won the race with Bishops Hall and his son Henry has made two entries with Stellar Notion given 9st 12lbs and Elegant Statesman on 9st 10lbs. Sandra Hughes has entered Phil’s Magic (9st 2lbs) as she aims to emulate her late father Dessie who won with White Star Line, owned locally by the late Patsy Byrne, in 2013.

There have been two Guinness Kerry National winners trained in Britain. While Gill Jones was victorious with Ace Of Spies in 1991, Ferdy Murphy won with Mac’s Supreme in 2000 and Ian Williams has entered Gas Line Boy (9st 12lbs) for this year’s renewal. Williams said, “The plan is to run. He has been running well over here and he should have nice weight on his back and if he makes the cut, we will bring him over. Ideally he'd like slow ground - on good ground he might be taken off his feet a little bit in the early part of the race. But I think the track will suit - I've never been over before, but I am looking forward to it and hopefully the horse will acquit himself well.”

Noel O’Brien, Senior Turf Club National Hunt Handicapper, said, “On paper it looks as good a renewal as we’ve had. We have the first six home in TheTote.com Galway Plate and it looks a very competitive race as it should be with that kind of money on offer. I am delighted with the quality of horses entered in the race.”

Listowel’s Chairman David Fitzmaurice, said: “We delighted to see so many National Hunt stars entered for our flagship race, the €175,000 Guinness Kerry National. It’s a race that always produces good horses to watch for the season ahead. Our seven-day festival starts this Sunday, 11 September and we’ve have a great week of racing, fashion and entertainment planned for racegoers, including our new €1.3 million dining and hospitality facility which will make the raceday experience more enjoyable  for all our patrons.”
 

Link to Listowel Entries 14.09.2016 with Weights: 
http://status.hri-ras.ie/entries/Microsoft_Word__2016_ONOR258.PDF?id=1