Racing legends are made at Limerick
THE four-day Mr. Binman Christmas Racing Festival offers a feast of top-class fare from Wednesday, December 26, to Saturday, December 29.
Greenmount Park has witnessed a host of magnificent performances from stars past and present over the years during the festive season.
Few who witnessed it will ever forget Faugheen’s stunning turn of foot from the second last to garner the Grade 3 Liberty Insurance Dorans Pride Novice Hurdle over three miles on heavy ground on December 28, 2013, before following up to record Cheltenham success and then, 12 months after that, being crowned Champion Hurdler.
Emmet Mullins was doing the steering that day for his Uncle Willie, and the same duo combined two years and two days earlier when Sir Des Champs lit up Limerick by taking the honours in the Greenmount Park Novice Chase on his way to claiming the Grade 1 Jewson Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham – his second Festival success at Prestbury Park – and later finishing second in the Gold Cup.
The Greenmount Park Novice Chase was a Grade 2 contest then but such is the roll of honour, including subsequent Grade 1 victors Bellshill, Outlander and Gilgamboa, that it earned an upgrade this season and will now be Munster’s only Grade 1 contest.
Sponsored by Matchbook, it will boast a significantly increased pot of €100,000 that is certain to attract a highclass field.
This elevated status is reflected by the fact that the race will be televised live by RTÉ on St Stephen’s Day.
The contest is just one of 28 races throughout the Festival and there is something for everyone.
On the 27th, the Grade
B Tim Duggan Insurance Memorial Chase takes pride of place. De Benno, Westerner Point and Pairofbrowneyes are former winners.
The following day provides us with the Irish Independent
4yo Hurdle, which is a Grade 3 contest and has Kitten Rock among those who have been triumphant in the past.
That was in 2014 and the fact it was a listed affair then illustrates that the quality of Limerick’s Christmas racing is being reaffirmed by Horse Racing Ireland.
The Day 4 feature is the aforementioned Dorans Pride Novice Hurdle of €50,000, sponsored by At The Races.
The feature race is named after one of the true greats of Limerick racing, the Michael Hourigan-trained, Tom Doran-owned, ex-Stayers’ Hurdle victor and multiple Grade 1 champion.
This is now a Grade 2 contest, with Weapons Amnesty, Up For Review and Penhill joining Faugheen on a stellar roll of honour.