From Istabraq to Buveur D'Air: JP McManus's six best horses down the years

JP McManus has had 54 Cheltenham Festival winners – more than double any current owner. He has also been associated with some of jump racing's biggest stars. Here are his top six horses based on the peak Racing Post Rating they achieved.

Istabraq (181)

For many, the first horse in JP McManus's famous green and gold hooped silks is superstar hurdler Istabraq. Trained by Aidan O'Brien, he won four times at the festival including three in Champion Hurdle triumphs and was odds-on to claim a fourth until an outbreak of foot and mouth torpedoed the 2001 festival.

RPR career-high
To win at Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown is a huge achievement and Istabraq completed the treble with ease in 1999. His top-rated came at Punchestown, where he beat Decoupage by three and a half half lengths.

First Gold (178)

Winner of 11 of his 44 outings over jumps, the French-trained First Gold was purchased by McManus following his impressive win in the 2000 King George VI Chase at Kempton, with the hope he could win that season's Gold Cup. But as with Istabraq, foot and mouth denied him the opportunity. He is perhaps one of the best horses to never win at Cheltenham, but he enjoyed wins at Aintree and Punchestown in his three wins since McManus purchased him for what was reported to be around £1 million.

RPR career-high
After being denied a shot at the Gold Cup in 2001, First Gold found some compensation with a ten-length win at Aintree in the Grade 2 Martell Cup.

Baracouda (176)

Winner of 18 of his 27 starts over hurdles, Baracouda gave McManus back-to-back wins in the Stayers' Hurdle in 2002 and 2003. The seven-time Grade 1 winner is perhaps best remembered for winning the Long Walk Hurdle four times.

Baracouda (left) is narrowly beaten by old rival Iris's Gift in the 2004 Stayers' HurdleCredit: Edward Whitaker

RPR career-high
Baracouda achieved a rating of 176 on three occasions, in his big-margin wins in the 2001 and 2003 Long Walk Hurdle and in the 2003 Stayers' Hurdle, in which he outfought Iris's Gift.

Buveur D'Air (173)

Victory for Buveur D'Air next week would allow him to equal Istabraq's record of three Champion Hurdles. McManus purchased him after he finished third to Altior and Min in the Supreme Novices' and he subsequently won at Aintree.

Since then he has been beaten just once in 12 outings, winning six Grade 1s.

RPR career-high
The 2018 Fighting Fifth was a much-anticipated early-season match up between Buveur D'Air and Samcro and the former stamped his class with an eight-length victory.

Le Coudray (173)

Le Coudray was a top-class performer over hurdles and fences in his prime. He won two Grade 1s as a novice chaser and was second to Florida Pearl in the 2003 Irish Gold Cup. Over hurdles he was an outstanding talent and many thought him unlucky to be beaten a neck by Anzum and an inspired Richard Johnson in the 1999 Stayers'.

RPR career-high
Following defeats at Cheltenham and Punchestown he made a triumphant comeback in the 1999 Lismullen Hurdle, beating Limestone Lad by three lengths.

Uxizandre (173)

The Alan King-trained Uxizandre developed into a very smart performer over fences, winning the Grade 1 Manifesto Novices' Chase in 2014 before a career-defining win in the Ryanair Chase the following year when he gave Tony McCoy his last Cheltenham Festival victory.

RPR career-high
His five-length Ryanair Chase success in a strong renewal, with subsequent Gold Cup winner Don Cossack back in third.

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