Memorable big race success for JP McManus at Limerick Racecourse

THE feature race at Limerick Racecourse on Sunday, the Grade 3 Hugh McMahon Memorial Novice Chase, went to Uhavemeinstitches and local owner JP McManus was on hand to greet his homebred back to the winners’ enclosure.

Just four went to post here and it was a close-run thing with the James Motherway-trained mare having just half a length to spare at the line. The 8-11 favourite made most of the running and, ridden by Mark Walsh, hung on from You Oughta Know, trained by Willie Mullins.

Cloyne trainer Motherway said: “She is a very good jumper. Mark said he let her get on with it and she was making lengths at every fence.”

Uhavemeinstitches is entered in the Irish Grand National but may not take part this year, the trainer suggested on Racing TV.

“She’s only six, a first season novice. I am very grateful to JP and Noreen (McManus) for giving her to me.”

Meanwhile, Ballingarry trainer Charles Byrnes made sure the long journey from Limerick to Down Royal paid off when Let Him B landed the second division of the 2m4f handicap hurdle.

This was a tidy training performance as the winner had not run for exactly a year.

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The trainer’s son Philip was in the saddle as, despite an untidy jump at the last hurdle, he hung on for a three-parts of a length margin on the 14-1 chance.

It was the six-year-old’s first win from 11 career starts.

Meanwhile, JP McManus owned the first two home in the 2m4f novice chase at Down Royal, both with apt Irish names on St Patrick’s Day. 

Raglan Road, sent all the way from Waterford by Henry De Bromhead, had just half a length to spare over Slanagaibhgoleir, trained by Gordon Elliott.

Mikey O’Connor was strong from the saddle on the winner who needed plenty of encouragement to find the lead inside the final few strides.

Raglan Road was well backed into 7-2 co favourite with the runner-up. The third and fourth home also started at the same price.

Sporting Herowon on first start for the Bill Durkan stable at Dundalk on Friday having been acquired out of a claimer a few weeks previously.

Denis Hogan was the former trainer and the horse had plenty of good form at sprint distances on the polytrack – this was his seventh win at Dundalk in total.

Sporting Hero was let start at 12-1 and made all the running for Chris Hayes. Although he was running out of puff inside the final 50 yards, he hung on by three-parts of a length.

“I didn’t plan to be in front. I was on fumes the last hundred yards but he has himself paid for now,” Hayes said on Racing TV.

“The lads wanted a nice lead horse for their two-year-olds and he fitted the bill. They had a few two-year-olds working her before racing and he came up to keep them company. I have been riding for Bill since I was a 10lb claimer with Kevin Prendergast and it’s nice to have a winner for him.”

Hayes rode a double on the night when Keepsgettingbetter, making her handicap debut after three pretty plain runs in maiden company, got up late inside the final strides of the 3yo mile handicap.

It was trainer Donnacha O’Brien’s fist winner of the new season and it came half a length at odds of 12-1.

“I rode her here the last day when she was clueless. Today she was still green but the pace was honest and I loved her attitude when I asked her,” Hayes said.

“She answered every call. Another two furlongs would be no problem to her and her temperament is second to none.” 

Unterberg, trained by Laura Hourigan in Patrickswell, made it three wins on the spin at Dundalk with a typically gritty victory on Friday night. 

Meath apprentice Rory Mulligan has been on board for the hat-trick and again did his job expertly, settling close to a fairly steady tempo and coaxing enough from his willing partner to win by three-quarters of a length from another prolific polytrack performer, Daonethatgotaway. 

Unterberg returned at 4-1, third pick in the betting. His third victory has come in the space of just five weeks, which is testimony to his consistency. He also won at the track last November. In that time the seven-year-old has risen from a mark of 67 to one that will be close to 90 when he is reassessed, so full credit to connections.  

A small field of just five faced the starter for the novice hurdle over 2m6f at Navan and Saturday and the fourth pick in the betting, Shabby Hill (11-2), came with a late rally for the father and son team of Charles and Philip Byrnes. 

Carrying the colours of owner Peter Mackin, Shabby Hill was winning for the third time in four career starts. He also won his only point-to-point outing, so the seven-year-old clearly possesses his share of ability. 

He also has a good deal of character as his rider was asking him for everything between the final two flights when a win did not appear very likely. However, Shabby Hill kept responding up the Navan incline and led inside the final strides for a half-length margin. 

Shabby Hill be better suited over trips at three miles or so, his connections indicated, and over fences next season.