Patrick Neville: ‘He’s prepared well for it and I’m expecting a big run.’
Patrick Neville's treasured eight-year-old, The Real Whacker, is poised for a major homecoming at the Guinness Kerry National at Listowel on Wednesday. Well, after a difficult season where he was unable to maintain his good early-season form, Neville remains of the view that his stable star is now well back to an all-new best and ready to run with the best of them. It is a poignant return for The Real Whacker, as he made his career debut at this very meeting two years ago as a 150-1 long shot in a maiden hurdle.
Since that modest beginning, The Real Whacker has turned into a force over fences, scoring his first three successes at Cheltenham, including a memorable Grade One win against Gerri Colombe at the 2023 Festival. Formidable as this looks, however, last season was something of a rollercoaster ride for Neville's charge. He did finish fourth in the King George and second in the Cotswold Chase but had little to say in the Gold Cup, where he was pulled up, and then struggled around Sandown in the Oaksey Chase. However, Neville believes that that was more bad luck than anything to do with the ability of The Real Whacker, and he is ready for Listowel to take off.
The Real Whacker with trainer @pnevilleracing ahead of his return to action @CheltenhamRaces on Saturday pic.twitter.com/oNHZccG4Ns
— Ashley Iveson (@AshIveson) November 16, 2023
"We brought him over on Saturday, and he's looking in great shape," said Neville, commenting on his horse's preparation. "He was out riding along Beale Beach and even went for a dip in the seawater on Sunday. He's back where he belongs, and we've done everything to get him ready for a big race." Neville, who relocated to Britain in 2019 after 15 years of training in Ireland, views the Kerry National as the perfect opportunity to reignite The Real Whacker's form after an underwhelming summer. With nothing in Britain for him until November, Neville made the call to bring the horse back into action early.
Neville remains optimistic despite last year's struggles. "I've sort of put a line through last season," he admitted, referencing issues with soft ground that plagued his horse's efforts. "We didn't have much luck last year, especially at Sandown when it softened right in front of the race. But he has been well-prepared for this, and I expect a big run." The Real Whacker will face one of the best fields in the area with 18 runners, including some quality names from Ireland. Topping the weights at 11st 7lb is Grade One four-timer Fakir d'Oudairies for Joseph O'Brien, who also has the 2022 Kerry National champion Busselton.
Gordon Elliott has five runners, headed by Zanahiyr, and Gavin Cromwell relies on Flooring Porter and Perceval Legallois to do the trick for his stable. The only British-trained horse is Neville's The Real Whacker, who hopes to make a winning comeback to Irish soil. As Neville puts aside the disappointments of last year, the arrival of The Real Whacker at Listowel will be something of a challenge, first and foremost to his courage but most of all to his determination to face competition from some of Ireland's finest chasers. With their roots firmly placed in Irish racing, a good run in the Kerry National could be just the start of something exciting for Neville and his star horse.
