Limerick gears up for its Christmas festival

Bob Olinger, Appreciate It, Beacon Edge, Riviere D’etel and Concertista are among the entries for the Mr Binman Christmas Racing Festival at Limerick.

Investment has been made to provide additional outdoor amenities including marquees, catering units, bars and live music facilities to ensure customers have a safe and enjoyable experience on their return to Limerick, after the Mr Binman Christmas Racing Festival took place behind closed doors last year.

Five graded races will be contested throughout the four-day festival which comprises 28 races, and the action kicks off with a bang on St Stephen’s Day in the form of the feature Grade 1 BoyleSports Faugheen Novice Chase.

Cheltenham heroes Bob Olinger and Appreciate It are among a strong list of entries for the Grade 1 Boylesports Faugheen Novice Chase, a list that also includes the Noel Meade-trained Grade 1 Drinmore Chase victor Beacon Edge and exciting mares Riviere D’etel and Concertista.

Bob Olinger was a dual Grade 1 winner as a novice hurdler and pulverised a strong field in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham last March. That was over two and a half miles, the same trip at which he got his chasing career under way successfully at Gowran Park last month.

With the Limerick feature also at the intermediate distance, hopes are high that Henry de Bromhead’s exceptional son of Sholokhov will face the tapes at Limerick.

Appreciate It is a three-time Grade 1 winner over the smaller obstacles, the highlight of those being his effortless triumph in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham. The Willie Mullins seven-year-old has yet to appear this term, however.

In stark contrast, Beacon Edge claimed the first Grade 1 prize of the season for novice chasers when finishing with a wet sail to deny Gavin Cromwell’s Gabynako in the Drinmore and the gutsy runner-up could well renew rivalries at Limerick.

Riviere D’etel has answered every question posed of her so far by Gordon Elliott, landing two graded prizes in bringing her record to an unblemished three from three since beginning her chasing career.

This would represent another step up in class but as a four-year-old mare, the daughter of Martaline would have the advantage of considerable weight allowances if taking her place.

Concertista was a Cheltenham Festival winner in 2020, when landing from the clouds to bag the Grade 2 Mares’ Novice Hurdle but she was the victim of a late burst when caught on the line in the Grade 1 Mares’ Hurdle back at Prestbury Park 12 months later.

Willie Mullins pitched her into Grade 2 level immediately on her chasing debut at Cork earlier at the beginning of this month and she passed the test with flying colours.

Even before attaining Grade 1 status, the race formerly known as the Greenmount Novice Chase had attracted the cream of the crop, with future Gold Cup winner Imperial Call, Hi Cloy, One Cool Cookie, Sir Des Champs, Bellshill, Outlander and Gilgamboa among the elite roll of honour.

Hardline was the inaugural winner of what is Munster’s first Grade 1 and he was succeeded by Faugheen, a previous victor of the Grade 2 Lyons of Limerick Jaguar Land Rover Dorans Pride Novice Hurdle at the festival, who had everyone on their feet when outstaying Samcro on an unforgettable occasion that bristled with electricity.

It was decided subsequently to rename the race in honour of the 11-time Grade 1 victor, given his lasting connection with Limerick and the impact that particular performance had on the racing public.

Colreevy maintained the standard when beating the geldings last year and going on to bag the inaugural Mares’ Chase at Cheltenham. She then claimed the vaunted scalps of Monkfish and Envoi Allen in the Group 1 3m 1f novice chase at Punchestown before being retired by Dungarvan breeders Niall and Claire Flynn to commence her second career as a producer, hopefully, of future champions.

BoyleSports have joined forces with Limerick to sponsor a race on each day of the Mr Binman Christmas Racing Festival - the Boylesports Bumper on December 27, Grade 2 Boylesports Dawn Run Mares’ Novice Chase on December 28 and Grade 2 BoyleSports Sporting Limerick Hurdle on December 29.

“We’re delighted to be able to welcome back our patrons this year after operating behind closed doors in 2020,” said interim manager, Paddy Dunican.

“The Mr Binman Christmas Racing Festival at Limerick is the social event of the year in the mid-west. We will have four days of very exciting, competitive National Hunt racing, starting on St Stephen’s Day with our feature event, the Grade 1 Boylesports Faugheen Novice Chase.

“A significant investment has been made to ensure a comfortable and enjoyable social experience for visitors looking to catch up with old friends and perhaps make new ones too.

“We encourage patrons to book their tickets online and are looking forward to four splendid days of top-class action on the track and magnificent entertainment off it too.”