Top Class Jumping Action At Limerick

Limerick Racecourse is gearing up for its third race meeting of the year as racing gets underway at the track this Sunday 30th March at 2:20pm with 7 National Hunt races on the card.

The feature race is the Hugh McMahon Memorial Novice Steeplechase (Grade 2) of €37,500 which was won by Argocat ridden by Bryan Cooper in 2013. The Kevin McManus Bookmaker Champion (Pro/Am) Flat Race (Listed) of €25,000 is another race to consider and was won by Private Treasure last year trained by Paul Nolan.

Four of the seven likely favourites for Sunday are divided between the powerful yards of Willie Mullins and Charles Byrnes, with Domination back to repeat his victory at Limerick two weeks ago (Byrnes reported after that victory on 16th March, that the win will “open more doors”) in the Hugh McMahon Grade 2 Chase. He will take on the very useful Touch The Eden, trained by Mullins, which was beaten by another runner in the field Rogue Angel back in December at Punchestown. This looks a very competitive renewal of the Grade 2 event and do not be surprised to see three or four horses coming to the last with chances.

Mullins will saddle Aminabad in the Kevin McManus Listed Bumper. He impressed first time out when scoring at Leopardstown, however he was turned over on his next start at the same track by Off The Mark from the Christy Roche yard. Off The Mark is in opposition again and we are in for a great tussle between the pair as Aminabad is significantly better off at the weights on Sunday and may reverse the Leopardstown form.

Of the other races, Willie Mullins introduces a potentially high-class French recruit Val De Ferbert in the Provimi Novice Hurdle and Kandinski looks to continue the sparkling form of the Robert Tyner yard in a race named after a former annual member and fantastic supporter of Limerick Racecourse, the late Liam Hogan.

The Ground at Limerick is currently Soft to Heavy (chase) and Heavy (Hurdle) further going updates will be issued on www.limerickraces.ie

Russell Ferris, Managing Director of Limerick Racecourse said “The 30th March is a well- established and respected fixture with two feature races on the card, the Grade 2 Hugh McMahon Chase and the Listed Kevin McManus bumper. The Grade 2 event has seen horses of the calibre of Argocat, Mr Cracker, Friscot Depot and Caim Hill all take their place in the winning enclosure. The Listed bumper has had many of its winners contest and win the Grade 1 Punchestown bumper and is a fantastic marker for the Grade 1 event, past winners include Waaheb, Hidden Universe, Summer Star and Universal Truth. We have a number of superb attractions to supplement the racing such as the Mother’s Day Lunch and the Family Day entertainment, this really is a day not to be missed. ”