Kiss Will is not supposed to be the headline act in Willie Mullins’ orchestra, but he keeps finding ways to stay on the stage a little longer than expected.
In a yard packed with stars, this French‑bred chaser has been quietly putting together the kind of form and attitude that makes you sit up and wonder if the 2026 Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse might just be his cue to step into the spotlight.
His story starts in France, where he showed his raw ability in a bumper before crossing the water for a sizeable price tag of around €280,000, a figure that immediately marked him out as a potential star.
A Debut That Turned Heads
We first saw what he could really do over obstacles at Fairyhouse, where Kiss Will made his Irish debut in a two‑mile maiden hurdle and simply ran away from them.
Sent off at 4/11, he justified every short‑priced expectation by surging clear to win by 13 lengths, travelling with the swagger of a horse who knew he was better than the opposition.
From there, connections dipped him into deeper waters, including a tilt at the Grade 1 at the Cheltenham Festival, where he finished down the field in the Turners.
He headed to Perth a month later, duly won the Gold Castle Novices’ Hurdle, and then went on his Summer break.
Fences: Learning On The Job
Back this season, he has switched to fences and has been knocking on the door for his first win. In four chase starts so far, he has yet to get his head in front, but that bare fact does him a disservice.
He has finished runner‑up to promising sorts like Koktail Divin and Soldier In Milan at Leopardstown and Punchestown, either side of the New Year, races that have looked stronger with every subsequent run from the principals.
Most recently, Kiss Will was seen finishing fifth in the Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival over about 2m4½f, a race that looked a touch sharp for him in both distance and tempo.
Why Fairyhouse Fits Him
The Handicapper has allotted Kiss Will a weight of 10-11 for the 2026 Irish Grand National, and while that might not look earth‑shattering on paper, in a marathon handicap, it is precisely the kind of marginal gain that can separate the nearly horses from the ones who sneak into the frame – or better.
Matt Brocklebank, in his Handicap Hints column, has already highlighted Kiss Will as the type of Willie Mullins novice who might be overlooked amid all the noise about British raiders and higher‑profile Irish runners.
Everything about Kiss Will’s chase runs so far – the way he has found again after being headed, the solid efforts behind progressive types, the staying‑on fifth in a hot novice handicap – suggests this longer test over fences is far more his scene.
Strengths That Make Him A Live Player
There are several reasons to treat Kiss Will as a serious contender rather than just another Mullins name on a long list.
His best chase efforts have come when the emphasis has been on staying, and his run style suggests he will relish an extended trip. Running off 139, 2lb lower than Cheltenham, gives him scope to be ahead of the assessor now that he is stepping up in distance again.
Recent Irish Grand Nationals have often gone to lightly raced types who are still on the upgrade rather than exposed handicap regulars.
That said, this is still a novice with only a handful of chase runs under his belt, and it would be wrong to pretend there are no question marks.
He has yet to win over fences, which means we are working off promise and substance in defeat rather than a stack of 1s next to his name. Given that Paul Townend chose to partner him says a lot about his chances!
His jumping, while generally sound, has occasionally had the odd novicey moment – that slightly untidy last in his Fairyhouse hurdle win was a reminder that he is still learning, even if it came at a time when the race was in safe keeping.
A National Dark Horse Worth A Second Look
Kiss Will is not the sexiest name in the race, and he is not coming in on the back of a festival‑headline Grade 1 win, but that might be exactly why he is so interesting.
He looks like a slow‑burning, properly campaigned staying novice from a yard that excels with exactly that type, sitting on a mark that offers more potential than punishment, and stepping into a race that should finally bring his stamina fully into play.
If you skim the form, he is “the Mullins novice who hasn’t yet won a chase”. Look a bit closer, and he starts to read like the sort of horse people talk about afterward and say, “We should have seen that coming.”
BETFRED
