McManus odds-on to top Cheltenham charts

J.P. McManus is a red-hot 2/7 favourite with BoyleSports to claim the top owner accolade at the Cheltenham Festival.

After a shopping spree on Wednesday saw the businessman snap up Ultima fancy Meetingofthewaters and Hunters’ Chase favourite Its On The Line, McManus has strengthened what was already the strongest team he has sent to Cheltenham.

With nine favourites set to carry the famous green and gold silks across the four days, the Limerick native will be looking to smash the record for most winners at a Cheltenham Festival and looks set to hold the aces in several races across the week.

A number of exciting novices form part of the formidable team and the opening race of the meeting today, the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, could provide them with an early winner.

Mystical Power is the current 7/2 second favourite for the race and the unbeaten six-year-old, by Galileo out of the dual festival winning mare Annie Power, looks to hold a leading chance.

With the hugely exciting Fact To File (4/5) likely to lead the McManus cavalry charge tomorrow (Wednesday), Crebilly (7/2) on Thursday and Dinoblue (10/11) on Friday, J.P. is particularly well represented in the chase division.

His likeliest challenger for the leading owner title is British-based duo Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, who are 5/1 to be crowned leading owners.

Their double green silks will be carried by the likes of Hunters Yarn (5/1) in the Arkle, Jasmin De Vaux (11/2) in the Champion Bumper and El Fabiolo (4/9) in the Champion Chase, a race that McManus is yet to win.