Local trained Eric McNamara kicked off Limerick's Christmas festival with a winner as his Irish Bulletin under Mark Walsh, justified 11/8 favouritism to win the opening Download The Free Racing FM App Maiden Hurdle today.

Afterwards McNamara reported of the J.P. McManus owned gelding "he was entitled to win on form and I was surprised he hadn't won a maiden hurdle before now. He's won on the right day though and he'll win races in the future.

"We'll go down the handicap route with him and, in fairness to him, it's heavy out there today and he's a flat horse at the end out the day."

By Thomas Weekes