LIMERICK’S Greenmount Park, Patrickswell, will welcome an estimated attendance of 20,000 for its upcoming Mr Binman Christmas Racing Festival, which runs from St Stephen’s Day through to December 29.
Across 28 National Hunt Races, there is an impressive prize fund of €600,000.
“Whilst every race at the much-anticipated Christmas festival is a feature, each day includes a stand-out race with higher prize money, which sees graded horses and their jockeys vie for the coveted trophy and prize money,” Limerick manager Tom Rudd said.
“A noted change in this year’s festival is the change in date for the featured Grade 1 National Hunt race. We have moved this race from the first to the third day’s card to avoid clashing with some of the other top class racing action happening around the country during this very busy period of the year for Irish Racing” he added.
In the words of leading local trainer Enda Bolger, the four-day festive meeting “is a real sporting and social occasion – everybody goes.”
The legendary Bruree pilot has particular fond memories of Christmas at Limerick.
“I remember in 1994, Jonjo O’Neill sent Front Line over for the Murphys Irish Stout Novice Chase as it was then, and I rode him. We thought that he had a chance too, but I remember this horse running away from me doing a half-speed. That horse was the future Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Imperial Call,” he recalled.
“It’s great that the race is a Grade 1 race now (Guinness Faugheen Novice Steeplechase, value €100,000), it was a massive boost for the racecourse when the race was awarded Grade 1 status in 2018. There have been some top-class winners of the race, Sir Des Champs, Outlander, Bellshill, Colreevy, Gerri Colombe as well as Imperial Call and Gilgamboa.”
Off track, there is no shortage of food, drink, children’s entertainment and music.
