COURTESY of French Dynamite (16/1), Rathkeale trainer Eric McNamara retained the €100,000 BOYLE Sports JT McNamara Munster National in front of a passionate home support at Limerick’s Greenmount Park on Sunday.
Ridden by Paddy O’Brien, the winner came home just ahead of stable companion Weveallbeencaught (11/2f).
“There seemed to be more money for Weveallbeencaught but it was hard to separate them on form and both ran very well in Listowel. I’m over the moon and couldn’t have asked for a better result,” McNamara said.
The victory brought a windfall of €20,000 for Ballyneety Community Hub, thanks to a successful nomination in the JP McManus Charity Sweepstake.
McNamara won the race a year ago with Real Steel, and way back in 1999 (at Cork) with Kaselectric.
On Day One of the National Weekend, both listed races were claimed by local trainers, namely McNamara (Millstream Lady 7/2) and Athea’s Eoin McCarthy (Shadow Paddy, 5/4f).