Sunday Tipping: 'This 6yo mare has the right profile to provide JP with another victory at his local track' The €100,000 BOYLE Sports JT McNamara Munster National (4.00) is the feature event at Limerick on Sunday with a maximum field of 16 facing the starter for the three-mile handicap chase headed by the returning cross-country specialist Stumptown (Gavin Cromwell). Local trainer Eric McNamara, who has won the last two renewals, runs four including last year’s 1-2 French Dynamite and Weveallbeencaught with Look To The West and Hermino Aa completing his quartet. It's the returning Uhavemeinstitches (James Motherway), one of two mares in the field, that may prove up to the task in the hands of Harry Cobden. Her owner, proud Limerickman JP McManus, last won this race with Spider Web (Tom Mullins) in 2018 and Shanpallas (Charles Byrnes) four years earlier and this 6yo mare has the right profile to provide JP with another victory at his local track. The fact she is having her first run back since pulling up in a valuable handicap at Punchestown last May is not really a concern. She has performed with credit returning from a break before, notably when winning her beginners chase this time last year at Wexford following a near eight-month absence. She also has winning course form having won a four-runner Grade 3 event over a marginally longer trip last March and previously opened her account over hurdles here at Christmas in 2024. Her owner also runs the ex Joseph O’Brien-trained six-time chase winner A Wave Of The Sea (Shane Broderick) who sluiced up over slightly further on his last start over fences in Kilbeggan. A recent run on the flat should have him primed for this and he still looks favourably treated compared to his winning chase form in February 2022 when he was rated 18lb higher under the care of O’Brien. Paul Townend travels to Limerick for just two mounts the first of those aboard Kimi De Mai in the opening PwC Mares Maiden Hurdle. Successful in France, she deserves to get her head in front again on her ninth attempt over hurdles, but she could face another uphill task with slight preference for Brickfield Belle (Henry deBromhead) who slammed a subsequent winner in a Galway bumper last month. She has the benefit of a run over hurdles behind her last February when she finished 5th in a 21-runner Naas maiden after drifting from 12s out to 66/1. She has gradually improved since that creditable debut effort and she gets the vote coming here with fitness assured. It should be an interesting market with Jury Time (Sam Curling) returning from a break and newcomer Whelkeen View, a €62,000 Walk In The Park purchase one of two interesting Paul Nolan debutantes in the field. Leopardstown on Sunday should see an unusual sound surface for this time of year and a chance again is taken with Youcansaythatagain (Andy Oliver) in the 16-runner October Handicap (4.42). Last seen when he finished a well-backed (8-1 into 13/2) sixth behind subsequent winner Pillar Of Hope at Down Royal last month he’ll meet that rival on far better terms now. In what looks an ultra-competitive handicap this Down Royal maiden winner over a slightly shorter trip might be capable of making it into the money with some firms likely to offer five places in their each-way terms. Staking Plan 2.00 Limerick 1pt win Brickfield Belle 4.00 Limerick 1pt win Uhavemeinstitches 4.30 Leopardstown 0.5pts each-way Youcansaythatagain
