LIMERICK’S Greenmount Park in Patrickswell will host the inaugural King John’s Castle Festival at the weekend, a two-day meeting which boasts a prize fund of more than €300,000.
There are a couple of attractive valuable listed races on Saturday, while the following afternoon the feature is the €100,000 Grade 3 JT McNamara Ladbrokes Munster National
Handicap Steeplechase over three miles.
Limerick manager Tom Rudd commented: “We are really excited to expand our huge Munster National Meeting into a two-day festival. There is a huge appetite for top quality jump racing in Munster and, with seven jump races over both days, including the addition of two listed races on Saturday, along with a supporting card of family fun, fashion, and live music, we think we have the perfect sporting and social occasion to offer all our customers.”
The weekend highlight is run in memory of a richly talented local jockey John Thomas McNamara who sadly passed away at the age of just 41 in 2016. Three years earlier, he had suffered a life-changing fall at the Cheltenham Festival.
A winner of over 600 point-to-point races, McNamara also tasted much greater success, particularly at Cheltenham (where he rode 16 winners) and Punchestown.
He was closely associated with owner JP McManus and trainer Enda Bolger.
McNamara will forever be associated with such equine stars a ‘Risk of Thunder,’ ‘Spot the Difference,’ ‘Rith Dubh,’ ‘Drombeag’, and ‘Teaforthree.’
The Munster National was renamed in honour of John Thomas in 2016.
Last year’s thrilling renewal was won by 16/1 shot ‘The Big Dog,’ trained by Pat Fahey and ridden by Keith O’Donoghue
A new addition of late at Limerick is Craig Power as its Business Development and Marketing Manager. He previously worked with Munster Rugby.
Meanwhile in greyhound racing the final of the €2,500-to-the-winner Arachas Corporate Brokers A1 600 Stake Final is the centre-piece at Limerick on Saturday.
The opening race on an exciting card is away at 7.40pm.
