CHANTS of ‘there’s only one Flooring Porter’ rang out loudly around Listowel for quite some time after the talented tearaway pulled off a sensational demolition job in the 2024 Guinness Kerry National - never seeing another rival after the first fence.

Those colourful celebrations look set to continue long into the night for the team behind the phenomenal €5,000 bargain buy, who was originally sourced through a Facebook ad.

There is no such thing as small sips when Gavin Cromwell’s popular stalwart is out on the town. When he wins, it tends to be achieved by taking massive gulps and he had the opposition swallowed up from some way out here. He was trading at close to 5/4 in the in-running markets with a circuit to travel, and was 4/6 with a mile left to run.

Jockeys championship joint-leader Keith Donoghue barely would have had a moment’s doubt once building up a clear lead on the field aboard the former two-time Stayers’ Hurdle hero.

The Real Whacker was his closest pursuer before crashing out six fences from home, and the only one to come from out of the chasing pack was Willie Mullins’ Horantzau d'Airy. Four and a quarter lengths was the final margin, but the victory was so much more impressive than that.

“He was brilliant, it was a brilliant performance,” effused Cromwell, once he had returned to ground-level having been hoisted on shoulders by the elated Flooring Porter Syndicate in the winner’s enclosure.

“He obviously went hard, and I have to say I was praying for him across every fence in the last circuit. He just kept the revs up and was very good.

From the front

"I was afraid maybe he might just miss one or something, but I knew he was in serious shape. When he gets into that rhythm there’s no stopping him, he’ll just keep it going. Keith said he was just a passenger, that he couldn’t go any slower.”

Surely the most aptly-named winner of any race that Guinness has ever sponsored, Flooring Porter showed he still has plenty of life in his soon-to-be 10-year-old legs for syndicate owners Ned Hogarty, Kerrill Creaven, Alan and Tommy Sweeney from south Roscommon and east Galway.

This wasn’t the first time Gavin Cromwell demonstrated the canniest of knacks for having his troops at the peak of their powers for the major battles, and he delivered the 6/1 joint-second favourite in outstanding nick for this €200,000 Harvest Festival feature.

He didn’t nominate any next target in the immediate aftermath, as this had been his primary objective for some time.

“This has been the plan since Cheltenham, really,” said Cromwell.

“The Kerry National is a brilliant race to win and we’ll enjoy this. He’s been the horse of a lifetime for me and for the syndicate. What can you say? He’s brilliant, and I wouldn’t say he’s finished yet.”

Rider reaction

Donoghue, who also was lifted onto the winning owners’ shoulders in the post-race celebrations, added: “I was a bit of a passenger, but I still didn’t think he was going that hard. I was able to fill him up in a few places. When I went by the line [with a circuit to race] and the commentator said I was 10 lengths clear, I felt there was no point in easing off then and letting them get closer to me - I kept the pressure on.

“I hit the third last a good thump, but when I looked around I saw they weren’t catching me, so I was able to fill him up over the last two. His class told. He’s been an unbelievable horse and I’m delighted to get another big one on him.

“I didn’t get away at the start like I wanted to and had to rev him up, but that happens in these races and it’s hard to get it perfect. I was lucky enough to get away on the inside, which was a big thing at the start.”

Paddy Power left Flooring Porter unchanged at 20/1 for next year’s Stayers’ Hurdle, while he was installed at 33/1 with William Hill for the Grand National.

Donoghue said: “The handicapper is going to have a fair say after today in terms of handicap chases, so it’s hard to say he’d be well-in again in a handicap, but there are plenty of those long-distance hurdles in England. There might be one at Cheltenham in December, maybe something like that could be a plan, but he’s getting on in years and I’d say he’ll be kept busy.”

Jack Kennedy missed his intended ride on fifth-placed Zanahiyr in the feature event after being unseated from Beaufort Scale in the previous handicap hurdle. An IHRB spokesperson said the champion jockey was taken to Tralee Hospital for “further precautionary assessment” on a possible rib injury.