Gambled Out For A Stroll wins Limerick’s opener

Limerick winner Laafi delivers on jumps debut

it was a very good performance and he really jumped and travelled. He handled that ground well and it was a nice performance to do that first-time-out over hurdles against horses with runs. He had a very good level of form on the Flat in England and his last win was in Doncaster on easy groudn so we were hopeful coming here. Gary (Bannon, assistant trainer) said he was in right order. There was a false start and I got a better position after it so it all worked out and I was delighted to get the ride.

The Big Westerner is Limerick Grade Two queen

Millstream reverses last year’s Limerick form

Millstream Lady made no mistake today against the same opposition and, as she is very small and it was a competitive race, it was a great performance to carry 11st12lb and win. She is a tough little mare, today was the plan so it was great it worked out. I’m delighted for the owners who are all Patrickswell and Adare people so this is a huge plus.

Nolan bags across the card double with Dearg

I honestly didn't give him that much of a chance. I was hoping he'd run respectably,. He had a good run the last day. Jim was the one you wanted to come here and he was dead right so we're very happy. Sean said he tends to go a little bit right so he jumped off on the inside but then he moved to the outside because he seemed to be happier out there. I thought he was very good over the last few fences and that's what sealed it for him. I thought he'd win jumping the last but then they sort of quickened again a little bit and he barely got up. Thankfully he was on the right side of the nod. We had a nice winner in Limerick in Release The Beast. He did it very nicely and I'd say he's a nice young horse, he looks to be better over a fence. He's owned by the same sort of men so they are all delighted.

McNamara marks 40-year anniversary with Limerick double

forty years ago today, I trained my first winner with For Jon, with Michael Byrne riding him. It was at the old Greenpark racecourse so there have been a lot of changes since but we’re still at it and haven’t gone hungry yet!. Dream In The Park jumps well and was handicapped better over fences than over hurdles, so we decided to have a go at this. We schooled him at home the other day and jumped particularly well. That’s Calum’s first winner over fences and his 7lb claim is very valuable: he gave him a great ride. Conor (McNamara, son) had the pick but went for (stablemate) Cahirdown Boy who has been lucky for him in the past, but he made an early bad mistake, so his race was gone.

Bargain buy gives McCann a Limerick win

we bought her out of Mags Mullins’ yard in January as she is a half-sister to (stablemate) Kiki Badger and had a good run on debut at Clonmel. I rang Derek O’Connor, who rode her, and he said she’d win during Christmas - but at this meeting last year. She missed the meeting though, as she pulled a muscle so I ended up buying her at the sales in January (for £8,000). I couldn’t believe how cheap she was so this is brilliant and she picks up bonuses for her owners today too.