IT is understandable that all the talk after the JT McNamara Munster National at Limerick on Sunday was about the winner Total Recall. It was an incident-packed race, we lost six horses on the way around, five of them at two of the fences. But you have to feel that Total Recall would have won even if all his rivals had stood up and run their races.

Willie Mullins’ horse won easily. Nursed around by Ruby Walsh at the back of the field from early, avoiding the carnage, he and Alpha Des Obeaux came away from their field from the top of the home straight.

It was apparent that they had it between them from a long way out, but it was also apparent from the second last fence that Ruby Walsh was holding onto more than Davy Russell had and Total Recall came clear to win readily.

This was the Westerner gelding’s first run for Willie Mullins and his performance was further evidence of the champion trainer’s genius. He had run 16 times before this under rules, six times over fences and he had won just three times. The handicap rating of 129 off which he raced on Sunday appeared to be a fair reflection of the ability that he had shown.

He was obviously showing plenty at home, however, given his strength in the market all day.

It is always interesting to estimate how the handicapper might react to such a performance before he does. A stone, you were thinking. Maybe 12lb. So 18lb was a lot. It takes Total Recall up to a mark of 147.

On the positive side, it may not be too much. When you are dealing with performances like this one and hikes of this magnitude, it is difficult to put a figure on it. Also, a hike of that magnitude puts him within range of the big handicap chases.

A mark of 147 would have got him into last year’s Hennessy Gold Cup (this year’s Ladbrokes Trophy), for example, on 10st 7lb. His stamina for three and a quarter miles on early December ground at Newbury is an unknown, but he stayed three miles well on Sunday, and he would be of big interest if connections decided to allow him travel to Newbury.