ERIC McNamara is hoping to continue his red-hot form on familiar home territory and the Rathkeale trainer believes that he has some good prospects of maintaining that run during the Mr Binman Christmas Racing Festival at Limerick Racecourse.

Racecourse CEO Michael Lynch, sponsors and members of the media were at McNamara’s fabulous Beechmount facility on Wednesday to watch the Grade 1-winning trainer put his team through their paces ahead of a tilt for glory at Limerick’s Christmas showpiece from December 26th-29th.

While the festival is always special to a man who trains 20 minutes over the road, this year will have even more resonance, as the 40th anniversary of his first winner.

McNamara was better known for his show jumping exploits at that juncture and had just started to dip his toe into the world of training racehorses. For John, owned by his brother Jimmy and ridden by Michael Byrne, did the business at Limerick’s Christmas Festival on December 27th, 1984, and the rest, as they say, is history.

“I didn’t have as many grey hairs then,” McNamara observed after watching his string canter over two and a quarter miles on his six-furlong sand gallop. “It was in the old Limerick Racecourse obviously. It was the start of the career that we’ve had, a reasonably good career I suppose. We’ve won a few lovely races.

First winner

“For John was the start of it. I suppose everyone remembers their first winner and For John was a super little horse. Jimmy had a couple of nice horses that used to be trained by Mickey Lee. When I gave up my show jumping career, I ended up starting to train some very good horses: For John and War Saint were two. There were one or two others came as well and they all won three or four races.

“I got the bug and of course I thought this game is simple and I knew more than everyone else whereas what really happened is I had a few very good horses that all won for us. As you go through the years, you realise, you need a good horse.”

He certainly has a few of decent calibre now. Since saddling five winners at the September Harvest Festival in Listowel, his other local and thus heavily targeted week of the year, he has been on fire in both codes.

The family element is a significant part of that. Eldest son, Emmet rode Serpentine to win the Derby in 2020 but is now retired and an accountant at Coolmore, so neither of his areas of expertise are directly available, though he is always on offer as a sounding board.

The return of daughter, Kate, and youngest son, Conor has added energy and serious skillsets to the operation. Conor rides most of the horses in races – the hard-working Sean Flanagan steps in when required and is in the yard once a week. Conor will add his opinion and feedback to the mix before Eric makes the final decision.

Meanwhile, Kate also rides out but has proven a godsend in the office with the mountains of admin required now to run a training operation. Given that by his own admission, he would struggle to turn on a computer, one suspects that she could charge whatever she likes to stay!

“To have Conor and Kate back in the fold after being away learning is great. Conor was in Willie Mullins’, Gavin Cromwell’s, Gordon Elliott’s, learned a lot and has brought it home and that’s a big help.

“If I didn’t have Kate with me to organise syndicates, look after the paperwork, all that’s needed on the veterinary side and all the rest of it, I would be lost. I wouldn’t be able to do it. Without Kate I couldn’t handle all that paperwork.”

“Like any business, and Garry Dillon there of Mr Binman, the main sponsor in Limerick will tell you, no business will run well without good back-up. Without good staff and great people.

“I remember talking to J.P. McManus one time and he said, “Surround yourself with good people and you’ll have a great chance,” and we have. Kate and Conor have come back home and we have great staff that have been here a long time. And it all stems from the kids’ mother, Paula.”

Limerick has been very kind since that first winner and McNamara is optimistic that he can make his presence felt once more.

“Limerick Racecourse is very dear to our hearts and we love going back there every Christmas. It would be very disappointing if we left after the four days without a winner but it’s a long time since we have left without one. It’s been a lucky track for us and long may that stand.”

McNamara hopes to have up to 10 runners at the Limerick Christmas Festival and he seems particularly keen on the chances of Decimation, L’Evangeliste and Mount Ferns.