LOCAL trainer Eric McNamara continued his excellent run of form, when rounding off a double with the featured Grade 3 Boylesports JT McNamara Munster National Handicap Chase at Limerick with Real Steel.

Sent off a well-supported 8/1 chance, the Tadhg Moynihan-owned gelding made all under Danny Mullins to win by three and a half lengths.

“We are just having a fantastic time of it and to win that race is very special,” said McNamara.

“I won it previously in 1999 when today’s clerk of the course Paul Moloney rode Kaselectric to win at Cork (with Limerick being developed), but that was a good while ago, so we were due another!”

He added: “Danny Mullins was exceptional, he really was. We said we’d lead if it worked out that way, and he popped him out and it worked out great. To get this horse back to a semblance of his old form was magical. That is a fantastic race to win and means a lot to us.”

Tricky horse

McNamara opened his brace earlier in the card with 3/1 favourite Spring Meadow, who won the Crown Paints Handicap Hurdle under Sean Flanagan.

Owned by John Devane Plant Services Ltd, the three-and-a-quarter-length winner was registering a first Irish success.

McNamara reported: “I’m delighted for John Devane and his family, as they have been great supporters since they joined the stable, are lovely people and deserved this, as he is a very, very tricky horse.

“You can’t get up on the horse in the parade ring, although he is getting better. He loves good ground, so we’ll run him again sooner rather than later, but you won’t see him back here during Christmas. There is no reason why he won’t jump a fence in time.”

SIZE Five followed up his recent comeback win at Perth when landing the John Thomas McNamara Series (Q.R.) Handicap Hurdle by three lengths under Oran McGill.

Trainer Noel Kelly said of the 6/5 favourite, owned by his wife Shauna: “It wasn’t a pretty watch and he gave us a scare, but Oran thought they went awfully quick early on. He had intended to sit fifth or sixth, but he didn’t travel the best and the ground might have been too quick for him.

“He went on to do the job though and that’s what you want. You’d think the handicapper was wrong by giving him 17lb for winning at Perth, but looking at it today, he was probably right.

“Oran is in the yard all the time and is a top-class lad to ride. His instructions today were ‘you know him better than me, so ride him the way you want!’”

Return to form

The Big Chap returned to winning ways, when landing the STL Logistics Handicap Chase for trainer Paul Flynn. Ridden by Danny Gilligan, the 11/2 chance led two out before keeping on strongly to win by four and a quarter lengths for owners Glenmore Goes Racing Syndicate.

Flynn later reported: “It was a suitable race, being for second-season novices and the ground was key. We had aimed for a race at Killarney this summer, but it turned up soft, although he still ran well.

“We’ll go to the November meeting in Cheltenham with him for a 0-145, which I think he’ll get into and I would also love to go to Aintree with him too.”

New yard brings luck

Donagh Meyler came home 30 lengths clear of the only other finisher to win the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase on Well Del. Trainer Liam O’Brien said of the Jim Delaney-owned and bred 9/4 chance: “We were confident coming down! In fairness, you can only beat what is there and he is a soft ground horse, rather than a good ground one and he also wants further.

“It is what it is, but he is a really nice horse. We won’t get carried away, but it is lovely for his owner/breeder Jim Delaney from Wexford. That’s my first runner from a new yard in Bennettsbridge, which I’m renting from George and Stuart Williams, so that is a great result.”

BALLYBRITTAS carried the famous Hardy Eustace colours of owner Lar Byrne to victory in the Garrynacurra Stud (C&G) Maiden Hurdle.

Trained by Philip Rothwell, the James O’Sullivan-partnered 5/2 chance led two out to win by three-quarters of a length.

Winning trainer Rothwell was critical of the ground, which saw a host of non-runners on the card: “We knew there was rain forecast, which didn’t fall, but what was wrong with throwing a drop of water on this morning?

“The course would take it and it wasn’t like the ground would become slippy or anything. It has been a year of it and I totally understand the weather is so unpredictable, but I don’t understand that in Fairyhouse the other day - where it was good-to-firm all the time, that they put it down as good-to-yielding.

“I also don’t understand in Gowran recently that the chase course was ‘good-to-firm’ all week when they had it down as good-to-yielding. The IHRB then blame other people for bringing racing into disrepute, but oh my good God.”

In all, there were 24 non-runners on the day due to unsuitable ground.

Strong success

Eoin Walsh and Ciaran Murphy won the opening PWC Mares Maiden Hurdle with 11/4 chance Miss Dishy. The Street Wise Syndicate-owned filly stayed on strongly to win by four lengths.

Walsh reported: “She is owned by a great bunch of lads, who will have plenty of fun with her. She had a good run over two and a half miles the last day and, coming back to two miles today, the stronger gallop played to her strengths.

“She will be a mare to look forward to next spring and summer.”