McNamara thrilled as Real Steel lands Munster National in Limerick

Earlier on the card, the trainer recorded the first leg of a 35-1 double when Spring Meadow ran out an easy winner of the Crown Paints Handicap Hurdle

REAL SPECIAL: Jockey Danny Mullins and trainer Eric McNamara celebrate Real Steel's Munster National triumph.  Picture: Healy Racing

Eric McNamara has had plenty of reason to celebrate as his stable has enjoyed a great spell of late but the victory of Real Steel in the Boylesports Munster National on Sunday at Limerick, the race named after his late, great friend John Thomas McNamara, meant the world to the local trainer.

As both handler and the winning rider, Danny Mullins, would later reveal, the race didn’t go to plan for Real Steel, but that was never apparent during the contest as he gave the boldest of sights making all of the running and putting in some prodigious leaps along the way.