McNamaras on the mark again with Thegraveyardbookie

Thegraveyardbookie had some good fortune on his side when making a successful start over hurdles in the Connolly’s RED MILLS Irish EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle at Limerick.

Trained by Eric McNamara and ridden by his son Conor, the four-year-old gelding had shown some promise in bumpers but was towards the rear as Now Is The Hour asserted approaching the second last.

However, the leader came down when holding about a four lengths advantage at the penultimate flight and Thegraveyardbookie finished strongly between horses to get nicely on top in the closing stages.

The 14/1 chance had three and a quarter lengths to spare over On Lovers Walk at the line, with 2/1 favourite Iceberg Theory a further length back in third.

Eric McNamara said, “It was an eventful race. He jumped very poor early on and as a result ended up further back than he wanted to be, but he has an engine and his bumper form was reasonable.

“There will be huge improvement in him as he’s a very raw and weak horse. I’m delighted to win and it’s a lovely pot.

“There is no doubt he was lucky, but I’d say if he’d jumped better early on, he’d have been closer to them and more competitive. He jumped so poor over the first three or four that I was embarrassed.

“He could be a nice horse in time. He might run once more around March time, he won’t run for a couple of months, and then he’ll go out to grass.”

The father and son team also teamed up to win here yesterday with Storm Mahler.