'He loves the game' - JP McManus hits 4,000 winner mark thanks to Chantry House

Saturday: Cheltenham

Chantry House did not quite deliver a Cotswold Chase performance to plunge his name among the leading fancies for the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup but, a week on from Shishkin’s Ascot epic, Nicky Henderson reminded us again to live in the moment as he provided legendary owner JP McManus with his 4,000th winner.

The master of Seven Barrows has played a significant role in McManus’s colossal tally, with the likes of Binocular, Buveur D’Air and Epatante the star names among the plethora of talent to sport the green and gold hoops.

Those hurdlers were slick, fast and efficient, but this landmark winner was the complete opposite. Chantry House jumped big at times and at other times lost his position. He looked in control, then looked in trouble. Nico de Boinville had to push and shove his way into contention, but luckily his mount was brave at the crucial moment.

Cotswold Chase: full result and replay

Chantry House pressed ahead of front-running rivals Santini and Aye Right after the second-last and kept up the gallop all the way to the line, putting in a performance which marked a return to form after his King George flop. In truth, however, he gave little indication of whether he had what it takes to strike here again in March. Henderson, meanwhile, just enjoyed being part of a special moment for McManus.

He said: “It's wonderful and it's lovely it's at Cheltenham and in a proper race. So well done JP, he's been an amazing friend and a proper supporter. Nothing gives me more pleasure, I can assure you.”

Nicky Henderson and JP McManus: combined with Chantry House to give the trainer his 4,000th victoryCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Sir Anthony McCoy, McManus's long-serving retained jockey, added of the owner: “He counts every winner, he loves them all. As you can tell he knew how many he'd had before today. He loves the game and it's nice he's done it with a big winner.”

Bookmakers were less sure McManus would celebrate a second Gold Cup success in seven weeks' time, a decade on from Synchronised’s memorable win under McCoy, with William Hill easing Chantry House to 14-1 (from 12), while Paddy Power were slightly more impressed, cutting him to 14-1 (from 16).

Henderson was all for taking the positives after the eight-year-old had proved himself outside of novice company for the first time, and in fairness Chantry House had given his all, so much so his rider had to walk him back into the winner’s enclosure.

“He’s got the job done and has had a right good blow,” said Henderson. “Nico jumped off as he was a bit tired. He’s had a race there and it’s the first time he’s had to do something that wasn’t straightforward.

JP McManus: if I lose I don't have a bet for two weeks - it doesn't bother me

“We tried cheekpieces at home and the big question was whether to pop them on today or keep them until March – I was of the view that he had to win here to stay in the ball game and therefore we ought to have them on.

Chantry House: a 14-1 chance for the Cheltenham Gold Cup in MarchCredit: Edward Whitaker

“He’s entitled to be tired there and we’ve got plenty of time, so I think there are plenty of positives to take from that."

De Boinville said: “He deserves to go for the Gold Cup after that and the race should put him right. He's a strong stayer and the New course at Cheltenham, which is a galloping track, is what he wants.”

Santini is also on course for the Gold Cup after his fine run in second. He was given a huge cheer by the crowd when led into the runner-up spot, two years on from his own Cotwold Chase victory.

Trainer Polly Gundry was thrilled, saying: “That reception will make the world of difference as it'll boost his confidence.

“It was just poetry to me. You'd want to finish in front but he was beaten by a good one and he'll come on a fair bit for the run. It's an out-of-body experience for me.

"He'll take his chance in the Gold Cup as long as he's healthy and in one piece.”

Four of the 4,000 – some of JP McManus's greatest stars

Istabraq

Not only just JP McManus's best hurdler of all time, but Istabraq was arguably the best two-mile hurdler for generations courtesy of his hat-trick of wins in the Champion Hurdle.

A modest performer on the Flat for John Gosden and the late Hamdan Al Maktoum, Istabraq would go on to scale near-unimaginable heights over hurdles in the famous green and gold hoops for Aidan O'Brien, winning a remarkable 14 Grade 1s, including four victories in the Irish Champion Hurdle.

Istabraq and Charlie Swan jump the last on their way to winning the 1998 Champion HurdleCredit: Pat Healy

However, it was in the Cheltenham Festival's two-mile championship where he would etch himself into folklore, farming the Champion Hurdle between 1998 and 2000 in a feat only matched by fellow iconic hurdlers See You Then, Persian War, Sir Ken and Hatton's Grace.

Top McManus-owned stars Binocular, Jezki and Buveur D'Air have followed in his footsteps, but out of the owners six Champion Hurdle winners, Istabraq remains the greatest.

Baracouda

Just like Big Buck's and Inglis Drever, Baracouda was a completely dominant force in the staying hurdle division at the turn of the millennium, having been bought by McManus following his win in the 2000 Long Walk Hurdle.

Trained in France by Francois Doumen and ridden by his son Thierry, Baracouda would then go on to race exclusively in Britain, winning two Stayers' Hurdles at the Cheltenham Festival – as well as the substitute race at Sandown following the 2001 cancellation – and racking up a sequence of ten wins in a two-year period.

Glory days: Baracouda lands the 2003 Stayers' Hurdle for father and son Francois and Thierry DoumenCredit: Edward Whitaker

Alongside those festival successes, Baracouda scooped up four Long Walk wins and dual successes in the Ascot Hurdle and Long Distance Hurdle to match in a glittering career that yielded 14 victories in McManus's colours, and he was a leading jewel among his hurdlers.

Synchronised

He may not have been one of the most vintage winners of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, but he was the one who gave McManus his sole winner so far in jump racing's most prestigious contest a decade ago.

Trained by Jonjo O'Neill, he was originally a very useful staying handicapper with victories in marathon contests such as the Midlands National and Welsh Grand National, but he bloomed into the leading stayer of the 2011-12 season with a glittering campaign.

Synchronised progressed from high-class handicapper to Cheltenham Gold Cup heroCredit: Edward Whitaker

After routing his rivals in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown, Synchronised lowered the colours of greats Kauto Star and Long Run with a gallant Gold Cup win under McManus's regular ally AP McCoy despite nearly being detached early on.

Synchronised would bid for a historic double in the Grand National that year, but tragedy struck as he suffered a fatal injury in the race.

Don't Push It

Another of McManus's stars who was not of the real top quality, but that did not matter as he provided the owner and McCoy with their most famous victory in the 2010 Grand National.

Don't Push It came into Aintree off the back of pulling up at the Cheltenham Festival and, despite that poor effort and McCoy's wretched record of 14 losses in the world's greatest steeplechase, he was well-supported into 10-1 joint-favouritism.

Tony McCoy celebrates Grand National glory on Don't Push ItCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Having stalked his way round under McCoy, Don't Push It surged clear from the elbow to give him and McManus their triumph in front of a rapturous crowd – a victory which secured the jockey BBC Sports Personality Of The Year, too.

McManus tasted Grand National success again last year with Minella Times, but Don't Push It was that famous first, and a victory which still stands proudly near the top of his achievements among his 4,000 winners.
Matt Rennie

JP McManus factfile

Full name John Patrick McManus

Born Co. Limerick, March 10, 1951

First winner Cill Dara (trainer Con Collins) Naas, July 20, 1977 (Flat)

First winner in Britain Jack Of Trumps, Newbury, October 27, 1979

First Cheltenham Festival winner Mister Donovan (1982 Sun Alliance Novices' Hurdle)

Grand National winners Don't Push It (2010), Minella Times (2021)

Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Synchronised (2012)

Champion Hurdle winners 9 wins (record): Istabraq (1998, 1999, 2000), Binocular (2010), Jezki (2014), Buveur D'Air (2017, 2018), Espoir D'Allen (2019), Epatante (2020)

Stayers'/World Hurdle winners Baracouda (2002, 2003), More Of That (2014)

Irish Gold Cup winners (Leopardstown) Kempes (2011), Carlingford Lough (2015, 2016), Edwulf (2018)

Punchestown Gold Cup winners First Gold (2003), Carlingford Lough (2016)

BMW (Punchestown Champion) Chase winner Flagship Uberalles (2003)

Ryanair Chase winner Uxizandre (2015)

Martell Cup Chase winner (Aintree) First Gold (2001, 2003)

Tingle Creek Chase winner Defi Du Seuil (2019)

Irish Grand National winners Bit Of A Skite (1983), Butler's Cabin (2007), Shutthefrontdoor (2014)

Welsh National winners Mini Sensation (2002), Synchronised (2011)

Irish Champion Hurdle winners (Leopardstown) Istabraq (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001), Like-A-Butterfly (2003), Foreman (2004)

Punchestown Champion Hurdle winners Istabraq (1999), Grimes (2000), Jezki (2014), Buveur D'Air (2019)

Aintree Hurdle winners Istabraq (1999), Jezki (2015), Buveur D'Air (2017)

Triumph Hurdle winners Ivanovich Gorbatov (2016), Defi Du Seuil (2017)

Group winner on Flat Iveagh Gardens (2015 Athasi Stakes)

Most notable 1-2s 2014 Champion Hurdle (Jezki, My Tent Or Yours), 2017 Champion Hurdle (Buveur D'Air, My Tent Or Yours)

Highest-rated horses Istabraq (RPR 181 in 1999 Punchestown Champion Hurdle), First Gold (RPR 178 in 2001 Martell Cup Chase, Aintree)

Four-time Cheltenham Festival winner Istabraq (1997 Royal SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle, 1998, 1999 & 2000 Champion Hurdle)

Cheltenham Festival wins 67 (owners' record) including 7 in 2020

Most wins in a season 225 in 2014-15 (137 Ireland, 88 Britain)

Champion jumps owner in Ireland 18 times: 1995-96 to 2008-09, 2010-11, 2011-12, 2013-14, 2020-21

Champion jumps owner in Britain 14 times: 1998-99, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2011-12 to 2014-15, 2016-17 to 2020-21

Colours Emerald green, yellow hoops, white cap

Main residences Geneva, Switzerland; Sandy Lane, Barbados; Martinstown Stud, Kilmallock, Co. Limerick

Saturday's race reports:

Cleeve Hurdle: Paisley Park stuns Champ with 'special' comeback to land Cleeve hat-trick

Ruby Walsh: 'It's lucky Aidan Coleman was riding because I would have given up'

Peter Thomas: Phenomenal Paisley allows us Brits to forget those gaudy green banners for now (Members' Club)

Expert jury: 'It's going to take a good one to beat him in the Triumph Hurdle'

Cheltenham: Supreme an option for 'classy' new Triumph Hurdle favourite, says Gordon Elliott

Cotswold Chase: Chantry House provides JP McManus with 4,000th winner in Cotswold Chase

Sky Bet Chase: Windsor Avenue battles back for Sky Bet victory on stellar day for Brian Ellison

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