The greatest horses owned by JP McManus in British & Irish National Hunt racing

Billionaire owner JP McManus started 2026 by appointing former champion jockey Harry Cobden as his retained rider from May.

It’s certainly a bold statement from McManus, filling a role that hasn’t been taken since Barry Geraghty retired in 2020.

And before that, AP McCoy held the position, so Cobden has huge boots to fill.

From May, he will have access to McManus’ vast racing resources, with 48 trainers in Ireland and 19 in Britain using the famous green and gold silks.

There is also a slew of top-class horses for Cobden to mount, including last year’s Gold Cup winner Inothewayurthinkin as well as star names Fact To File, I Am Maximus, Majborough, Dinoblue and Jonbon.

But with the pressure on the 27-year-old, will he be able to pilot McManus’ charges into Sports New Blitz’s list of the greatest horses to carry JP McManus’ famous colours?

1. Istabraq

The debate about JP McManus’ greatest horses has to start with Istabraq, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest hurdlers in history.

Originally bred as a Flat horse with Derby aspirations, Istabraq reinvented himself over hurdles under trainer Aidan O’Brien.

Between 1998 and 2000, he dominated the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham, becoming a three-time winner and capturing the imagination of racing fans on both sides of the Irish Sea.

With 14 Grade One victories, his legacy might have been even greater had the 2001 foot-and-mouth outbreak not cancelled the Cheltenham Festival, denying him a potential historic fourth crown.

2. Baracouda

A titan of the staying hurdle division, Baracouda was a horse built for endurance and toughness.

Trained in France by François Doumen, Baracouda won two Stayers’ Hurdles at Cheltenham and an incredible four Long Walk Hurdles at Ascot in the early 2000s.

Across a career spanning 34 races, he recorded 18 victories, becoming a cornerstone of what many regard as a golden era for long-distance hurdlers.

His battles with the best stayers of the early 2000s remain etched in Cheltenham folklore.

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3. Like-A-Butterfly

Exceptional mares are rare; Like-A-Butterfly was truly special.

She achieved the remarkable feat of winning Grade One races on the Flat, over hurdles and over fences.

Trained by Jimmy Mangan, she won 12 of her 17 career starts before retiring in 2005.

Her Supreme Novices’ Hurdle win in 2002 came with a slice of luck, but she emphatically proved her quality when landing the Irish Champion Hurdle the following season and later adding the Power Gold Cup at Fairyhouse.

4. First Gold

Already a King George VI Chase winner before joining the McManus team, First Gold added further prestige after his high-profile purchase, facilitated by legendary commentator Sir Peter O’Sullevan.

Although Cheltenham Gold Cup glory eluded him, First Gold enjoyed major success in Ireland and England, winning the Punchestown Gold Cup and two Martell Cups at Aintree.

A bold front-runner, he thrilled crowds wherever he raced.

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5. Don’t Push It

Don’t Push It occupies a special place in racing history.

In 2010, under the ice-cool ride of AP McCoy, he delivered McCoy’s first-ever Grand National victory, ending years of heartbreak for Britain’s most successful jockey.

Sent off joint-favourite at Aintree, he travelled supremely and won with authority.

It was also JP McManus’ first Grand National win, making the moment even sweeter.

6. Binocular

A model of reliability at the very top level, Binocular was another Champion Hurdle hero for the McManus operation.

Trained by Nicky Henderson, he claimed the Champion Hurdle in 2010, along with two Christmas Hurdles at Kempton and the Anniversary Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree.

Remarkably, in four highly competitive Champion Hurdle appearances, he never finished worse than fifth.

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7. Synchronised

For all McManus’ success, Cheltenham Gold Cup victories have been rare, so Synchronised’s 2012 triumph was even more significant.

Already a proven stayer with wins in the Welsh National, Midlands National and Lexus Chase, Synchronised delivered a career-defining performance to land jumping’s ultimate prize at Prestbury Park.

Tragically, his story ended just weeks later when he suffered fatal injuries in the Grand National, a loss that deeply affected the McManus team and the wider racing community.

After his death, McCoy said: “I cried for days afterwards. That affected me more than any other horse.”

8. Spot Thedifference

While not the highest-rated horse on paper, Spot Thedifference became a Cheltenham Festival legend.

Trained by Enda Bolger, he was a master of the cross-country course, winning seven races at Cheltenham, including the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase.

He also secured two La Touche Cups at Punchestown, cementing his status as one of the finest specialist chasers ever seen.

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9. Buveur D’Air

The bold decision to revert Buveur D’Air back to hurdles proved inspired.

Already a Grade One–winning novice hurdler, the Nicky Henderson–trained gelding captured back-to-back Champion Hurdles in 2017 and 2018, showing speed, slick jumping and tactical brilliance.

Although his hat-trick bid ended early in 2019, JP McManus still won the race with Espoir D’Allen, underlining his dominance in the division during that era.

10. Minella Times

Minella Times ensured McManus would forever be linked with one of the most significant moments in Grand National history.

In 2021, ridden by Rachael Blackmore, he became the first horse ridden by a female jockey to win the Grand National.

A perfectly judged ride and flawless jumping performance delivered McManus his second Aintree triumph while changing racing history forever.

(In 2024, I Am Maximus delivered McManus’ third Grand National crown.)

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