The New Lion could not deliver JP McManus a Champion Hurdle success on his 75th birthday but the sport’s biggest owner still celebrated in style with a 208-1 handicap double at Cheltenham on Tuesday. That winner, trained by Jonjo and AJ O’Neill, edged out McManus’s 3-1 favourite Jagwar although any betting pain was temporary compared to an 86th festival success for Cheltenham’s most successful owner. He rode a winner of this same race for me a few years ago on Alfie Sherin (in 2012),” McManus said. “Everybody leans towards coming to Cheltenham and it means so much to so many.”Willie Mullins and Nicky Henderson attending day one of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival. I can’t call him a Grade One horse, but he is definitely a Graded horse in a handicap,” Dan Skelton said.

Source: The Irish Times March 11, 2026 03:09 UTC