Flooring Porter and Keith Donoghue © Photo Healy Racing
Dual Stayers Hurdle winner Flooring Porter put up an exhilarating front-running display to demolish his rivals in the Grade 3 Guinness Kerry National Handicap Chase at Listowel.
Lightly raced over fences, the nine-year-old was making just his fifth start over the larger obstacles, having made his handicap debut over a significantly shorter trip at Killarney last time.
Racing off a mark some 10lb below his hurdles rating, the Gavin Cromwell trained gelding showed his class with an authoritative display which saw him build up a significant lead from early in the race.
Clear by halfway, jockey Keith Donoghue was looking around for non existent dangers after three out, being able to afford the luxury of easing right down after successfully clearing the penultimate fence.
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Allowed pop the last, Flooring Porter coasted home for a hugely impressive four-and-a-quarter length win.
“What do you say, it's brilliant. He went hard and I have to say I was praying him across every fence on the last circuit,” said Gavin Cromwell.
“He just kept the revs up and it was a brilliant performance.”
When asked if he thought he might stop in front he added:- “No, that wasn't a worry, I was just afraid that he might just miss one or something.
“He was in serious shape. When he gets into that rhythm there is no stopping him, he'll just keep it going.
“Keith said he was just a passenger, he couldn't go any slower! What do you do, just try and meet the jumps the best you can.
“This has been the plan since Cheltenham basically. We can always go back over hurdles as well but I don't know where we go next.
“It's a brilliant race to win and we'll enjoy this.
“He's been a horse of a lifetime, for me and for the syndicate.”
Additional reporting by Gary Carson.
