Limerick father and son combination score thrilling Paddy Power Chase win at Leopardstown

THE Limerick father and son combination of Eric and Conor McNamara had a day to remember at Lepardstown today, Tuesday, after landing the coveted Paddy Power Chase in thrilling fashion with Real Steel.

Real Steel claimed a thrilling short head victory over runner-up Diol Ker at the end of the €200,000 Grade B contest at odds of 33/1 for the McNamaras from Rathkeale.

Real Steel, who finished sixth in the 2020 Cheltenham Gold Cup, is owned by Wicklow native Tadhg Moynihan.

Nine-year-old subsequently moved to Britain to join Paul Nicholls from Willie Mullins' yard before being bought by Eric McNamara earlier this year for £27,000.

The nine-year-old had just enough in the tank to repel the late thrust of Diol Ker.

“It was brilliant the way it worked out. He was well handicapped if we could rekindle him and to win one of these handicaps is great,” said McNamara senior.

“He spent two years doing nothing in England, whatever went wrong there. We changed his routine, brought him a few different places to work and we never took him off the bridle.

“We trained him like he was a really good horse and he always worked against horses that he could beat, just to try to mentally get him back to where he was.

“He was a really good horse. He was only beaten seven and a quarter lengths in a Gold Cup.

“Conor gave him a great ride and did everything right so it’s fantastic.”

Winning jockey Conor McNamara told RTE Racing: "It's deadly, deadly for dad. I'm delighted. 

"Listen, all credit goes to dad, he has done a fantastic job with this horse. He has done a great job with these chasers."