Up to 40,000 will attend the four day meet which boasts 28 races, โฌ300,000 prize money and is set to be the biggest ever festival staged at Greenmount Park.
โItโs a great pleasure to help launch Shannonโs investment with Limerick Racecourse for the Christmas festival.ย Itโs a massive coup for racing to get a sponsor who has nothing to do with racing into the game, a brand new sponsor.ย Itโs great work by Limerick racecourse.
โShannon Airport is an iconic airport.ย Itโs the last stop for Europe into America. Itโs a gateway for a lot of people and itโs a massive relationship to have for Limerick racecourse and Shannon airport.โ
Walsh said that the festival has a great track record of throwing up some outstanding performances and indicators for the mecca of national hunt racing, Cheltenham. โThe Christmas racing calendar is quite busy. Everyone else is on holidays so racing is providing the entertainment and Limerick are lucky enough to host a couple of really good races.
โLast year Faugheen won a novice hurdle there before going on to win at the Cheltenham Festival and is currently favourite for the Cheltenham Hurdle. In previous years the Greenmount Novice Chase has produced some wonderful winners, including Sir Des Champs, and will be another hotly contested contest this year.
โThe work they are doing [at Limerick Racecourse] is amazing. Last year they hosted a charity day for jockeys for John Thomas McNamara and all the investment and work they are putting into racing is incredible.ย If more racecourses could be as proactive as Limerick, racing would be in a healthier place.โ
With regard to his and Willie Mullinsโ involvement at the festival, Walsh was giving little away except that they will have a strong presence: โMyself and Willie are having a really good run and have a huge team of horses. At this stage, whatโs going to Limerick and whatโs going to Leopardstown – who knows?ย But we will be well represented in both places.โ
Hospitality and tickets are flying out for the Shannon Airport Christmas Racing Festival in Limerick and limited availability is available on www.limerickraces.ie
Walsh launches Shannon Airport Christmas Racing
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