McManus double has Cheltenham backers smiling

A JP McManus double helped punters fight back on day three of the Cheltenham Festival, with it all to play for between the backers and layers ahead of Galopin Des Champs’ date with Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup destiny on Friday.

Ryanair Chase winner Fact To File and TrustATrader Plate hero Jagwar were both winning favourites sporting McManus’ green and gold on Thursday, with Johnnywho only a neck away from inflicting further defeat on the bookies when thwarted in the concluding Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase.

With Bob Olinger backed in from long odds before claiming the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle at 8-1, the layers are on the back foot for the first time at a Festival that has so far seen the likes of Constitution Hill, Majborough, Ballyburn and Jonbon all turned over at odds-on.

It leaves things perfectly poised with the Gold Cup still to come and Galopin Des Champs will be a popular selection as he tries to join an elite club as a three-time winner.

“It’s fair to say the bookies had the best of the first half of this year’s Cheltenham Festival, but Thursday’s results were much more punter-friendly, with several well-backed winners, particularly Fact To File and Jagwar, as we head into the biggest day of the week,” said Coral’s David Stevens.

“The Gold Cup is the second biggest betting race of the year, behind only the Grand National, while the other six Friday races all attract high turnover, so we know that a good day for favourites will mean any smiles are well and truly wiped off our faces.

“Punters couldn’t have a better man on their side than Willie Mullins, and not only does the champion trainer send out the red-hot Gold Cup favourite in Galopin Des Champs, he has three other market leaders, and wins for all four will send backers home happy.”

Coral’s sentiments were echoed by BoyleSports, whose spokesperson Lawrence Lyons said: “We were in a great position at the half-way stage but JP McManus horses are often a thorn in our side and punters were fighting back on Thursday with some well-gambled winners.

“With Galopin Des Champs still to come, we expect they’ll have plenty of positives to take from the Festival come close of play on Friday.”