A song extolling the advantages of horse ownership to young men interested in attracting sexual partners is on course to be Ireland's Christmas number one after its video received 500,000 hits on YouTube in just three days.

'Horse Outside', by Limerick hip-hop collective Rubberbandits, was first broadcast on RTÉ's Republic of Telly programme last Wednesday and by yesterday its video had become the tenth-most viewed on YouTube.

"Crystal Swing had 900,000 hits over 12 months. We reached 500,000 in three days," said manager Joe Clarke.

The single is also topping the iTunes Irish chart this weekend with sales running to "tens of thousands", according to Clarke. He said a Rubberbandits 'album' with five songs had also reached number one.

Paddy Power has slashed the odds of the song becoming the surprise Christmas number one in Ireland and now places it as second favourite at 5/4, right behind the favourite, which is still the eventual winner of The X Factor.

Clarke played down the prospects of a Christmas number one, though he acknowledged there was a campaign by fans to get the Limerick band to the top over Christmas.

The song suggests that, in Limerick anyway, having a horse as your mode of transport means you have more pulling power with the ladies than other lads with a car or motorbike.

"F**k your Honda Civic, I've a horse outside," goes the chorus. In the video the lady's heart is finally won over on the promise of being taken out on horseback for "a day out in Mullingar".

Rubberbandits' previous single releases include 'Song for Willie O'Dea', which was released last February just after Limerick's most popular politician was forced to quit his post as minister for defence.

There are 15 people in the Rubberbandits collective and different members sing the various tunes. Performers appear on stage and videos with masks so they cannot be identified.

"The collective is more important than any individual member," said Joe Clarke, though he did reveal that one of the 15 has a master's degree in political science. One member of the collective will be appearing on Newstalk radio tomorrow. "All 15 are from Limerick which is the Rubberbandits' spiritual home," said Clarke.

The collective, which has also scooped the 'The Sexiest Video' award at the IMTV awards, is now hoping to cash in on its YouTube success and will be bringing its X-rated 'That's Limerick City' Christmas tour to the Button Factory in Dublin next Wednesday.

The tour will then travel on to Cork and after Christmas Day to Galway and Ennis, Co Clare, before finishing off with two concerts in Dolans in Limerick on 29 December – one at 4pm for people of all ages and another at 10pm for over 18s only.