Double Seven (right) jumps the last ahead of Spring Heeled© Photo Healy Racing
Double Seven transferred his excellent recent Kilbeggan form to Limerick, as he took the feature at Greenmount Park this afternoon, the Grade A Ladbrokes Munster National Handicap Chase.
Trained by Martin Brassil and ridden by Mark Walsh, the seven-year-old son of Milan completed a hat-trick of wins at Kilbeggan this summer, winning the valuable Midlands National along with two other handicap contests.
A 7/1 chance with Paddy Power overnight, the JP McManus owned gelding drifted out to 12/1 this morning, but he came in for support on-course going from 9's to his starting price of 8/1.
Settled in mid-division, he moved closer in fifth at the third last, hitting the front after two out, staying on well under pressure from there to score by two lengths at the line. Spring Heeled who was sent off the 11/2 favourite, finished a gallant second under Barry Geraghty for Jim Culloty, while Jamsie Hall was a length and a half back in third at 33/1 for Keith Donoghue and Gordon Elliott.
Martin Brassil said afterwards: "It is amazing what confidence can do. He had been struggling last year with the bad summer and also the year before, he almost got to dislike racing, but he had to win a couple before he started to believe in himself.
"It is hard to believe that he is still actually a novice but today was his best day.
"I was surprised how well he travelled in the race and he probably got there plenty soon but he had to commit when he got there.
"This was the major plan, but maybe something like the Irish National or the other one could feature for him now.
"I put a stick to him the other day and he was the exact same height as Numbersixvalverde. He is 16 hands and three quarters of an inch.
"The fences in Aintree aren’t the same as they were a couple of years ago and really there is only three or four fences to worry about and his heart is in the right place."
JP McManus, who was recording his first win in the race, said afterwards: "There will be a great party here tomorrow and there will be an awful lot of people here. It has been wonderfully supported by the community.
"John Thomas mightn’t be here but we will all be thinking of him."
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
