Mount Ferns and Sean Flanagan lead over the last© Photo Healy Racing
Eric McNamara completed a notable double at the Listowel festival today as the trainer's good recent run continued as Mount Ferns (3/1f) landed the Southampton Goodwill Plate Handicap Hurdle, under Sean Flanagan.
Flanagan's mount encountered minor in-running traffic racing on the inner approaching the second-last but quickened well to eventually shake off runner-up It'sallabouteve on the run-in.
McNamara, whose Frankendael landed the earlier headlined €100,000 MCG Handicap Hurdle, joined fellow trainers Aidan O'Brien and Willie Mullins by recording his fourth Listowel winner, and reported “I really fancied this horse as his work at home has been exceptional.
“We bought him during the summer from Emma Lavelle's, left him off for a while and in the last few weeks his work had been really really good. I'd have been disappointed if he had been beaten.
“I told Sean to ride him with full confidence although he is such an experienced rider there wasn't much point in Eric McNamara telling Sean Flanagan how to ride in a handicap hurdle.”
He added “I love this place, know a lot of people here and have friends here, so I'm getting a good kick out of this week.”
Note: In the subsequent 4.25pm race, McNamara completed a treble for the day, with Cahirdown Boy s handicap chase success.
