YOUR Honour (9/2 favourite) landed a nice touch for punters in the final day feature at Limerick, the two-mile-three-furlong Listed Quinn Bet Handicap Hurdle, for Gavin Brouder and James Nash.

In the first renewal of this race as a handicap, the Michael O’Flynn-owned four-year-old jumped smoothly when making all and had too many guns for Luminous Light in the straight. He had been well held on his previous two starts but he was returning to the scene of an impressive 28-length win last March, so this was another case of Limerick form coming to the fore.

“He was so impressive here on similar ground (in March) and was then a bit disappointing over the summer,” said Nash. “It was a fairly obvious race to come back here, and a super prize limited to four-year-olds. It’s great when it works out! I suppose he’ll have to go to one of the festivals after that.

“He’s a fantastic jumper and obviously loves that ground. He’ll probably go chasing sooner rather than later.”

The Get In The Game Racing Maiden Hurdle was run in memory of trainer Andrew McNamara and featured a 50/1 upset courtesy of Aghmorough Bridge, who scored for Carlow trainer Willie Murphy.

Owned by the O’Toole Family Partnership, the seven-year-old mare mainly plies her trade in point-to-points (three-time winner in that sphere) and perhaps her ability to stay longer trips stood to her back over two miles and three furlongs. She raced prominently for Simon Torrens, always on the rail, and though she came under pressure before the straight, she found plenty to go on and win by seven lengths from Carlas Big Jim.

“She jumps well and will probably jump a fence better,” said Murphy. “I was hoping for a good run as our horses had been sick for a couple of months but the horse yesterday (Barton Snow) ran well which was encouraging.

“She was a good point-to-point mare and it was a toss-up between coming here or going back point-to-pointing. She will probably appear next over fences I’d imagine. The mother [Burnt Oil Babe] was a great mare and won eight times.”

THEGRAVEYARDBOOKIE (14/1) defied the maximum Betfair in-running price of 999/1 to win the Red Mills Irish EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle for Conor and Eric McNamara.

The complexion of this race changed when Now Is The Hour fell at the second last when four lengths clear, but Eric McNamara’s gelding, who looked to be struggling badly coming out of the back straight, still had 10 lengths to find at that stage. In the end, he actually won with plenty to spare, rewarding his local rider and trainer with a second winner of the week.

“It was an eventful race,” said the winning trainer. “He jumped poorly early on and, as a result, ended up further back than he wanted to be, but he has an engine and his bumper form was reasonable.

“There will be huge improvement in him as he’s a very raw and weak horse. I’m delighted to win and it’s a lovely pot.”

The two-mile Parkway Shopping Centre Rated Novice Hurdle went to Anthony McCann’s Starman (14/1), who was excellently ridden by James O’Sullivan to upset the favourite Splashing Out by a short head.

The Ken Farmer-owned seven-year-old was held up in the six-runner field until just before the second last where O’Sullivan switched him to the inside to get a run up the rail. He responded well to the favourite’s rally, having initially looked covered, to record a third career win.

“He was disappointing the last day but has been a good claim for Ken. Unfortunately he’s not here today.

“It’s James’ first winner for me. He’s a bridle horse and doesn’t find a lot but he’s won three races, two for Deccy (Queally). We’ll try and find something similar for him.”

The final race of Limerick’s Mr Binman Christmas Festival, the QuinnBet Handicap Hurdle, went to Another Ocana (9/1) for Cork trainer Louis Archdeacon and rider Eoin Walsh. Natural Breeze ensured there was a strong pace over the two miles three furlongs here and that seemed to find out plenty, notably the main market rivals Johngus and St Denis’s Well. The winner got a lovely run up the inside rail heading into the straight and went on to score by four and a quarter lengths from I’m For Home.

“He seems to save his best for Limerick as he had some good runs here before,” said Walsh. “He handles that ground and it’s great to get the job done today. He hit the line strong.”

FRESH off the back of a marquee handicap chase win in the Tim Duggan Memorial on board his uncle Michael’s Happy Dreams, Mark McDonagh was back in the winner’s enclosure via R’evelyn Pleasure (5/4 favourite), who was a smooth winner of the opening two-mile-six-furlong Geary’s Garage Veterans Handicap Chase.

The Sean O’Brien-trained 11-year-old travelled smoothly from a prominent position and, though the field was still tightly packed in the straight, McDonagh always looked confident on the horse owned by his father (also Mark) and he had Fiveaftermidnight covered by four and a half lengths at the line to register a sixth career win.

“The handicapper has dropped him and given him a chance,” said the winning trainer. “We’ve also changed things around a bit and a big thanks goes to Ronan Barry as I use his swimming facilities at Kilbrien Equine. It helps to freshen things up as when they get older they get clever.

“I told Mark to keep it simple and go the shortest way around. It’s great to have a winner for the McDonaghs who are great supporters of mine and it’s special as this horse is part of the furniture!”

The switch to handicap company made things a lot more manageable for Oliver McKiernan’s Bushman’s Pass (16/1), who took the two-mile-six-furlong Limerick Racecourse Novice Handicap Chase under Philip Enright.

This was a strong staying effort from the seven-year-old, who had plenty of work to do to chase down Rolly Bowley Boy and Baldur’s Gate in the straight, but did so readily, going on to beat the former by six lengths.

The winning rider reported: “They went a good gallop and I just said I’d try and hold onto him until we got over the second last and in fairness he’s picked up and galloped out to the line.

“He won a bumper on heavy ground and Oliver has had loads of patience with him. I was happy all week when it was raining.”