Owl Creek Bridge© Photo Healy Racing
Trainer Eric McNamara exclaimed “job done!” following the win of his exceedingly popular, gambled winner Owl Creek Bridge (9/2jf) in the Parkway Shopping Centre Handicap Hurdle (div 1) at Limerick today.
Owl Creek Bridge's followers 'held the line' when he was priced a 20/1 outsider overnight before backing the gelding all day. Owl Creek Bridge opened a 5/1 chance on track and was eventually returning a strong 9/2 joint-favourite.
Ridden by the trainer's son Conor McNamara, Owl Creek Bridge arrived with a well timed challenge to lead approaching the final flight and in the end scored a length and a quarter success over Bazarov
The winners' enclosure was a well populated place and McNamara later added “they are happy owners and it's great to be able to repay these people.
“He is owned by two local bookmakers Dinny Gould, a friend of mine, and Brian Collins, from Askeaton and who has been an owner of mine for a long long time. Patrick Mullen is from county Meath and is a longtime friend from our time at the RDS in Dublin; he is big into the show-jumping and I got him involved in this horse and he is thrilled to bits.
“We were hoping he'd win and he did. He won a point-to-point and just wanted a step up in trip and soft ground suited. He wants a trip and will even stay further.
“Conor gave him an absolute peach of a ride and did exactly as we discussed.”