The highlight of Limerick’s staked Sunday card was the ever competitive Munster National.
Last year’s winning trainer, Eric McNamara, was looking to win back-to-back renewals of the Munster National, and looked to have a strong hand with the favourite Weveallbeencaught spearheading his two-team attack.
All was going to plan coming into the home stright as French Dynamite, who travelled with emance ease throuhout the race loomed up coming to the second last, followed by his stablemate Weveallbeencaught.
However, try as he may, Weveallbeencaught could not get to grips with his stablemate, and French Dynamite held him off to win by over one lenght.
Refleting on a historic win McNamara said: “There seemed be more money for Weveallbeencaught but it was hard to separate them on form and both ran very well in Listowel. I’m over the moon and couldn’t have asked for a better result.
“I have two very sporting owners and Shane Carmody lives in Adare, so is local and has been a great owner to us. Also myself and Tadhg Moynihan (owner of runner-up Weveallbeencaught) go back a long time but sadly he buried his younger brother earlier this week so couldn’t be here today.”
He added “They are two smashing out-and-out three-mile chasers and while some had doubts that French Dynamite wouldn’t stay, I hadn’t any doubts and he stayed today. He was too keen in Listowel but Paddy switched him off today and gave him a super ride.
“Both horses could go to the Paddy Power but I’d like to think at least one of them could turn up in an Aintree Grand National, especially French Dynamite.”
He Felt Like Real Steel
“I felt he fitted the profile of the likes of Real Steel for me, as both horses had dropped in the handicap and were solid horses.
“We had been buying so many store horses over the years but so many don’t get to the track and so many are no good, so I decided to go down this line and it has worked.
“It is brilliant to win this race twice in-a-row and especially to win John Thomas’ race who was so close to all of us.”
