JP McManus’s weekend priority will be Jezki’s rematch against Hurricane Fly and Our Conor in Sunday’s BHP Irish Champion Hurdle but the legendary owner also has a first success in Saturday’s Boylesports Hurdle in his sights.
The first high-profile handicap pot of the year has proved frustratingly elusive to McManus over the decades but he has five of the 28 entries left in the €100,000 feature after yesterday’s forfeit stage, including the sole remaining cross-channel-trained horse, Snake Eyes.
Nicky Henderson’s runner could attempt to become the first British-based winner since 1997 but the McManus list of hopefuls also includes Reizovic, the ante-post favourite for this race two years ago who hasn’t raced since having to be pulled out with an injury on the eve of the contest.
Significantly, though, Reizovic has seen some support in ante-post betting and the big-race sponsors make the John Kiely-trained runner a 16/1 shot, the same as Snake Eyes and another McManus hopeful, City Slicker.
Dominates betting
Tony Martin landed the Boylesports over a decade ago with Xenophon and dominates the betting with the 7/2 favourite Quick Jack, an impressive winner at Cheltenham in November. Sea Light, seeking a four-timer, is next best in the Boylesports betting on 7/1.
Captain Cee Bee, who had been topweight, was a notable absentee from the Boylesports contenders and remains among the possibles for Sunday’s Champion Hurdle, for which the five-day stage takes place this afternoon.
The €110,000 Grade One feature will take place on the innermost two-mile circuit at Leopardstown on Sunday with ground conditions on the hurdles course yesterday officially “yielding.”
A total of 31 entries remain in Saturday’s Leopardstown Chase, and they include last week’s Kinloch Brae winner Texas Jack.
