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They are breeders, owners, trainers, jockeys, or thoroughbred horses, and they have made the news this season. We will therefore give a voice to each of them. Every month in our upcoming editions, we will introduce you to our lucky winners.
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By Katherine Ford
JP MCMANUS, A FESTIVAL IN GREEN & GOLD
His iconic green and gold hooped silks are synonymous with NH racing in Great Britain and Ireland. For nearly 50 years, JP Mc- Manus has been a major figure in the sport, and the 2025 Cheltenham Festival was no exception.
The Irish billionaire is deeply involved in the National Hunt scene, both in quality and quantity. At the latest Festival, JP was represented by 36 runners and secured six wins, including the Gold Cup with Inothewayurthinkin. This brought his total tally to 84 Festival victories, a step closer to his goal of having more Festival wins than years in his age. Born in March 1951, JP McManus shows no signs of slowing down. Among his other victories, The New Lion won the Turners’ Novices’ Hurdle and is already the second favourite for the next Champion Hurdle, which would mark a tenth win for his silks in that race. Fact To File, winner of the Ryanair Chase, is the second favourite for the 2026 Gold Cup, just behind Inothewayurthinkin.
The game that start an empire As an Irishman, one might think JP McManus grew up in racing, but his family was not involved in the sport. He started his professional life working in his father’ s equipment rental business. He explains that he was first drawn to racing through betting:“ We’ d work all week just to have a few pounds to go to the bookmakers on Saturday afternoon and place some bets.” He later became a bookmaker himself, though he found greater success as a punter. He admits to having lost everything a few times, returning to work for his father, who had warned him not to get into debt.“ I was more successful as a punter than a bookmaker. I lost everything more than once and had to ask my father for my job back. As soon as I had some money in my pocket again, I’ d head back to the racetrack.” Eventually, JP made far more than he lost. Among his various business ventures, he has invested alongside John Magnier in companies including Ladbrokes, Manchester United, and a luxury resort in Barbados. His fortune is now estimated at two billion euros, and he divides his time between Geneva, Barbados, and his native Ireland. A lover of golf and Gaelic sports, JP Mc- Manus is first and foremost passionate about NH racing, especially the Cheltenham Festival and the Grand National at Aintree. Known for his patience, he waited until 2010 to win what many consider the greatest race in the world, the Grand National, with Don’ t Push It, ridden by Tony McCoy. He won it again in 2021 with Minella Times, and last year with I Am Maximus. This year, however, he withdrew his ante-post favourite Inothewayurthinkin, likely to preserve him for the
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