Reserve Desertmore House claims Kerry National

Desertmore House ran out a convincing winner of the Guinness Kerry National Handicap Chase at Listowel.

With rain causing the ground to deteriorate there were several withdrawals, which allowed Martin Brassil's eight-year-old into the valuable prize as second reserve off bottom-weight.

Sporting the colours of Irish and Aintree Grand National hero Numbersixvalverde, connections no doubt have similar prizes on their minds for the 11-1 winner.

Desertmore House came in for late support in a race which was dominated by the major yards numerically, and it looked sure to go to either Gordon Elliott or Willie Mullins as favourite Salvador Ziggy (Elliott) and top-weight Authorized Art (Mullins) loomed into contention alongside the pace-setting Foxy Jacks.

But Ricky Doyle, who rode 150-1 Irish National winner Freewheelin Dylan in 2021, smuggled his mount into contention and he fairly sprinted up the home straight, coming home three and three-quarter lengths in front of Salvador Ziggy, with Foxy Jacks battling back for third.

Desertmore House wins our highlight of the week, the €200,000 Guinness Kerry National!

Congratulations to trainer Martin Brassil, rider @RickyDoyle94 and owners Bernard Carroll and Anthony Vaughan pic.twitter.com/Td4p78di7N

"It was a late plan after he won in Kilbeggan and we saw he had gone to 135. He’s a novice that jumps like a handicapper and we just wanted to get more experience into him, whatever the ground was like," said Brassil.

"There are plenty of races coming up like this – the Munster National, the Troytown at Navan and the Paddy Power – so there are lots of options for a horse that jumps like that.

"He got in as a reserve. Gordon rang me this morning and said 'you should put your horse in the box as I