How do you celebrate milestone birthdays?
It’s a safe bet that it won’t quite be like JP McManus.
The Irish billionaire turns 75 on Tuesday and his birthday coincidentally clashes with the first day of the Cheltenham Festival.
He looks set for one hell of a party.
The green and gold silks of McManus have been synonymous with jumps racing for decades. McManus has enjoyed 84 Cheltenham Festival winners as an owner and is destined to add to that haul significantly this week.
Reaching 100 might be a stretch but the markets suggest he holds leading chances in the majority of the 28 races at Prestbury Park.
Legendary irish owner JP McManus turn 75 this week and has a host of Cheltenham chances
It’s the last season as No 1 for McManus for jockey mark Walsh but he will aim to strike gold
McManus is the dominant force at the Festival for years but the Class of 2026 looks seriously strong as any chronological whizz through of all the races will tell you.
Mighty Park is second favourite for the Supreme. Nothing in the Arkle but Saratoga and Manlaga are the front two in the Fred Winter, while Mustang De Breuil is another to consider. Jagwar and Iroko lock out the first two positions in the market in the Ultima.
The New Lion is favourite for the Champion Hurdle. McLaurey is joint-favourite for the Plate and there’s nothing for the closing National Hunt Handicap Chase in the last on JP’s birthday.
Three winners there appear to be a realistic target and quite the way to celebrate turning 75. But the party will roll on for another few days.
The rumour mill has been in overdrive on the Cheltenham Preview circuit, and one is that McManus has been eager to buy leading novice hurdler Talk To Talk.
If true, JP might have a slightly late birthday gift for himself in having a leading chance in the Turners, although its distinctly possible he could still run in the Supreme.
Kaid D’Authie has some of the best form in the book in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase. Iberico Lord and Kopeck De Mee have solid claims in the BetMGM Cup.
The Cross-Country is a blank but Majborough is an odds-on favourite to end McManus’ wait to win a Champion Chase. Success there would be the biggest present of them all.
Inthepocket would have claims in the Grand Annual but there is nothing for the Champion Bumper.
Another two horses could be in the winners’ enclosure at the halfway point of the Festival.
Onto the Thursday and the party could still well be in full swing. Oldschool Outlaw is a solid second-favourite in the Mares Novices’ Hurdle. Meetmebythesea has plunged into 5-1 for the Jack Richards.
The New Lion is Champion Hurdle favourite and one of many in the green and gold this week
McManus has expertly assembled a formidable jumping team with various trainers
There’s nothing for the Mares’ Hurdle but Honesty Policy and Impose Toi are two chances for the Stayers’ Hurdle. Irish Gold Cup winner Fact To File is short odds-on and the banker of the week in the eyes of many as he attempts to defend his Ryanair Chase title.
There’s nothing for the Pertemps but he has the front two in the Kim Muir, with Jeriko Du Reponet and Waterford Whispers boasting plenty of class for the closing race on Thursday.
Another two successes can be put up on the chalkboard to take the overall tally to seven – and even that prediction could be on the light side.
The unbeaten Narciso Has was a warm favourite for the Triumph Hurdle before being ruled out but McManus still has the favourite in Proactif and he looks poised to become a top juvenile. Friday may well get off to a flyer.
Khrisma probably won’t get in the County Hurdle. Joyeuse has an outsider’s chance. Dinoblue is favourite to retain her Mares’ Chase crown but there’s nothing on offer for the Albert Bartlett.
Then there’s the Gold Cup where the money has come for reigning champion Inothewayurthinkin. His campaigning has caused consternation, and he’s shown next to nothing this season, but he put up a big career best to win last year. On that form, he has a big chance whether people like it or not.
Its On The Line can be a bit of a rogue, but he’ll invariably be in the frame for the Hunters’ Chase and Kel Histoire is the sole entry in the Martin Pipe – but even that is vying for favouritism.
There’s enough ammunition to haul McManus into double-digit victories for the week. A closing day treble to cap off a terrific birthday week. Ten winners from 28 races would be the ideal birthday week for McManus and it very much looks possible.
No wonder everyone is dancing to the tune of the Great Man in green and gold.
Mondo man won the Impreial Cup at Sandown in impressive fashion
PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK…
MONDO MAN took a big chance at the last but won the Imperial Cup Handicap in good style. The 5-2 favourite was evidently well-handicapped and made every yard a winning one. He may take his chance in the County Hurdle on Friday at Cheltenham to win a £100,000 bonus.
The quick turnaround will be a huge challenge but the penalty in winning this should get him into the race and he remains a young unexposed handicapper for Gary and Josh Moore.
SELECTION OF THE WEEK…
The best bet of the Cheltenham Festival arrives on Tuesday in the Sun Plate Handicap Chase (4.40) in the form of Dan Skelton-trained MADARA (4-1, Paddy Power).
Madara was a huge eyecatcher last time at Kempton when staying-on for second at an unsuitable trip of two miles. He was well-fancied for the Grand Annual at last season’s Festival when he lacked tactical speed.
He’s changed yards to Skelton subsequently and this has been the grand plan all season for a trainer who is a dab hand at targeting horses for major handicaps.
The Plate looks a relatively weak race in relation to other handicaps and, with a step up in trip and cheekpieces set to unlock improvement, the race looks on a Plate for Madara.
