The JP McManus Thread

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edgt said:
Long Way Back ran a very nice race in maiden hurdle yesterday.
Finished third on a nice ride and surely one with a future.
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They must have been pissing themselves in Martinstown when they named this one after their riding instructions.
 
edgt said:
Now THAT is a first !

One swallow does not a summer make Slim alas !
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I hear JP and his cronies were on the 3rd tee of The Green Monkey when this race went off. They won't be amused they missed burying this one from his control room.

Well spotted.
 
From a Brian O'Connor blog on irish-racing.com titled The Secret Jockey.

As he says himself, any resemblance to any person living or dead is purely coincidental, as is my decision to copy it on this thread.

Is there is a gaping editorial hole for some insider straight-talking? Not the cod-blunt crap that so many of racing’s supposed straight-shooters indulge in, rather more along the Guardian’s notorious ‘Secret Footballer’ Diary. Anonymity famously allowed one player a licence to tell it as it really is, and with authority. A ‘Secret Jockey’ Diary could go far beyond mere “he’s a nice horse” cliché? It would be a service. People would pay to read it. So here’s an un-authoritative prototype.‘Today had been the day. The horse bouncing, ground OK, the topweight staying in: everything set. And then I walk into the parade-ring and the owner shakes his head. Apparently a few of his pals couldn’t wait, took morning prices, and everyone got their card marked before he could get on. So now he’s steaming mad and laying it like crazy on the exchanges, on the phone, with one of the stipes practically standing next to him.
‘It’s not like I can say anything. Any peep out of me and I can whistle for the ride the next day, not to mention anyone ever talking to me again. And the last thing a stipe wants to hear is someone bleating because then they might have to do something about it. They’re not stupid: they know better than anyone the last thing any of the top brass want is the apple cart upset.
“It could be worse, I suppose. As owners go, he isn’t the worst. He’s dropped me before and he’ll get a good few quid out of this. I actually don’t know why he bothers punting so much. It’s not like he needs the money. Some lads need to bet in order to make it pay somehow. But this fellah’s buzz seems to be carving things up for the sake of it.
‘The trainer’s practically got his tongue out trying to keep him happy too, which is fair enough, I suppose. He’s got to keep his owner onside. But it’s hard to take sometimes because he presents himself as this pillar of the community and he can barely lie straight in bed most of the time. Not that he ever gets called on it by those press bastards - lazy bullshit merchants — frightened of their shite.
‘It’s the same with some of the other jocks. You’d swear they’d never given one an easy in their lives. Not because they’re dodgy - although there are a few dodge-pots around. We’re practically all snow-white though compared to some of the owners and trainers. But we’re the ones who get hung out to dry for doing what we’re told. And if anyone gets an attack of the morals, there’s no problem finding someone who will, and probably for cheaper, so they can keep the ride.
‘Speaking of which, everyone’s talking at the moment about how a lot of us haven’t got a pot to **** in but what’s new? There’s always haves and have not’s: bleating about diesel, and the price of it falling like a stone, is like listening to trainers complaining about being broke while they’re sitting in tax-deductible 2016-1 Pajeros.
“Some of the lads seem to think they’re entitled because we put our necks on the line every time we get up on a horse which is true enough. But it’s not like we doing it at gunpoint. No one’s making us. Everyone agrees it’s a tough game, and that the cream gets to the top, so what’s the alternative? Some sort of subsidy? One man — one grant? Don’t annoy me.
“Anyway, the trainer’s annoying me now, whispering in my ear that this late change of mind means I might have a job with this horse since he hadn’t been left in his box for the last week. But even if we wind up sticking out, all I’ve got to do is get in fast, say the horse didn’t feel quite right, and then we can talk afterwards. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve a job to do. And someone else, a lot more qualified, can tell you how it’s done.” — Any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental!
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fonz said:
Box Office has a handicap hurdle over 3m in him
Attracted a bit of support just before the off today and was very unlucky at Having the door shut on him twice when challenging.
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Never put in the race on atrocious ground at Haydock today
All roads lead to the Pertemps final now.
 
Kotkikova came back nicely in a couple of hurdles in the spring, after taking a fall over fences at Auteuil a year ago.

JP will very-likely look to breed from Kotkikova eventually, but she has class, and isn't a spent-force as a racer yet. There are bound to be races won with her, and if all went well, the obvious target would be the Mares Hurdle. However, the only betting I can find for that race has her at 4.1 (Betfair), for the price of a cheap pair of shoes.....so bollocks to that lark.

Kotkikova has plenty of stamina, and it's not entirely inconceivable that the World Hurdle might become the target. She gets the allowance, and with Thistlecrack gone chasing, she probably doesn't have much to beat. Meanwhile, Faugheen has come back at his imperious best, forcing Ricci to move Annie Power across to the Mares - who McManus chooses to swerve, for the 'easier' World Hurdle.

As you would expect, the above fantasist horse-sh*it is not reflected in any markets. That has not stopped me asking Betfair to price-up Kotkikova, in their ante-Post World Hurdle market.

I am currently wheeling my arm like Mick Channon, in preparation for the haymaker I will land with this arrant nonsense.
 
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granger said:
Kotkikova,The Organist,Le Pezien,Buveur D'air, Protek Des Flos and Unowhatimeanharry - some of JP's shopping list this summer
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That looks an excellent bit of business for unowhatimeanharry by the Harry Fry racing club, Flogging an exposed 8yo probably at the ceiling of his ability who just gave them the season of there dreams that culminated in a festival win.
 
I'm focusing on a different McManus horse coming out of yesterday's race.

The infrequently-seen but talented Minella Foru followed the winner home in fourth yesterday, in his first outing in over a year. I reckon this is JPs National horse, and have been chipping-away every now-and-then on Betfair, for a wee while now.

Minella Foru has mainly been raced at intermediate trips, and therefore doesn't look an entirely obvious National candidate, but he did win a 3m point in his youth, and his best form over fences, was last time we had seen him prior to yesterday. Upped to a staying trip for the first time under Rules, he won the Paddy Power Chase over 25f, where he defeated the subsequent Thyestes second (and Becher Chase fourth) Ucello Conti with something in hand.

Yesterday's hurdles spin comes less than a handful of days before Entries for Aintree need to be made, and about a month before the Weights are announced, so it's in the sweet-spot from a timing perspective. And with Minella Foru already rated 148 over fences, he should get comfortably in the race (last year's winner Rule The World had the same rating, and carried 10-7).

Despite the conspiracy-theory I developed about MTOY/Betfair Hurdle going South, this one supposes that the length of time Minella Foru has been off the track, is more to do with timing of National entries/weights, rather than reflecting any serious setbacks for the horse. Whilst he is a lightly-raced individual, who has had time-off before, the fact he returned over hurdles suggests much the same - to me, at any rate.

I will be very surprised if Minella Foru doesn't feature amongst the host of entries JP will make for the race, and I'll be mildly disappointed if he isn't one that people latch onto, the closer we get to the race.

I've backed Minella Foru at a high of 180 and a low of 75. He can be backed at 66/1 with Powers, which is still an acceptable price for getting a marker down in the race, imo.
 
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He's actually rated 146 Grass but that's an Irish rating and you can probably add another 7lb or so to that in expectation of what Phil Smith & Co will do to him. That doesn't mean he can't win off c. 11st but it'll make life tougher of course.
 
Thanks for pointing that out, Lee.

So 2lbs in my favour and hope for the best. If MF doesn't run over fences between now and the Weights being published, I'd be hopeful that the BHA wouldn't hammer him too much, but that might be offset by the colours he wears.

To be honest, I'm not hugely fussed about the rating or the weight he will carry. If the theory is right, connections reckon he is chucked-in, and have intentionally kept him off the radar.

We'll see. At the odds, it's fair enough to indulge in this sort of speculation, I think.
 
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