Ryan Moore, the Englishman widely regarded as the world’s top jockey right now, will be the focus of attention in his first appearance at the Listowel festival on Tuesday.
Coolmore’s number one rider is in the Kingdom for four Aidan O’Brien-trained mounts including the regally bred Mundi in the €40,000 Listed feature.
It is another instalment in Listowel’s use of top riders to try to increase the festival’s profile and in Moore’s case they are at least assured he will show up.
Last year, Oisin Murphy was drafted in late to ride in his native Kerry for the first time following Frankie Dettori’s no-show in an apparent disagreement over appearance money.
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There could hardly be a greater contrast to Dettori’s flamboyant public image than the famously taciturn Moore whose instincts towards the media often appear to lean towards not saying one word when none will do.
It’s still a publicity coup for Listowel to have the world-renowned jockey, who turned 41 last week and riding at the peak of his powers, in action at the Harvest festival.
Notably facilitating to autograph hunters when at Southwell on Friday for City of Troy’s high-profile gallop, Moore is sure to find himself in similar demand in between mounts which starts with Thrice in the opening two-year-old maiden.
A promising third to stable companion Officer on his Curragh debut, the colt again sports blinkers and a stall two berth means Moore is likely to go forward from the start.
He could be the rider’s best chance of a winner although Mundi is an intriguing runner in the Edmund & Josie Whelan Listowel Stakes.
The full brother to Moore’s 2017 dual-Guineas hero Churchill won on his Dundalk debut in the Spring but didn’t cut much ice on his last start at the Curragh in June.
Fleur De Chine and Curvature give Jessica Harrington a strong hand while Joseph O’Brien is also doubly represented through Mexicali Rose and Princess Child.
That pair filled the minor places behind One Look at Killarney last time where Mexicali Rose didn’t get a clear run at one point in the straight.
That can be a risk too around Listowel’s tight circuit, but the in-form Dylan Browne McMonagle hardly wants for confidence.
It is 24 years since a cross-channel based horse landed the Guinness Kerry National, a statistic that The Real Whacker will try to change on Wednesday.
Trained by Paddy Neville, originally from Limerick but now based in Yorkshire, the 2023 Cheltenham Festival winner is one of 18 guaranteed a start in the festival’s €200,000 feature.
Neville finished runner-up in the 2016 Kerry National with Rightville Boy before relocating to Yorkshire and is eagerly anticipating a return to a home-from-home for the Askeaton native.
“He is in great form, healthy and well and I think the track should suit him,” Neville said after Monday’s final big-race declarations. “It’s great to be heading back to Listowel with him. I’m going there all my life and it would be great to go one place better than 2016.”
