Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
JP’S birthday stake
Geraghty Champion Hurdle win on Epatante would be icing on cake
BARRY Geraghty is hoping to give JP Mcmanus the perfect birthday present by riding his horse to victory in Cheltenham’s Champion Hurdle.
The businessman and racehorse owner turns 69 tomorrow – the first day of the sport’s most famous festival.
And the Co Meath jockey will be on board Epatante for Mcmanus in the Champion Hurdle, which the owner has already won a record eight times.
Geraghty, who is now the festival’s winning-most current jockey following Ruby Walsh’s retirement, told the Daily Mirror: “It would be a nice story for sure.
“He’s a great man to work with and one that knows everything about the game.
“He understands the ups and downs, tactically he’s very astute and I’m always taking on board his insight into certain races.
“His reading of a race is second to none and you’re constantly learning off him.
“I was lucky enough to ride some nice winners for him early on in my career and I’m always looking to repay his trust so hopefully we can do just that with Epatante in the Champion Hurdle.
“Growing up, I remember horses like Blitzkreig winning big races in his colours so to be his jockey now is an absolute privilege.”
The 40-year-old is also aiming to ride Mcmanus’ Defi Du Seuil to victory in Wednesday’s Champion Chase – one of the few big National Hunt races the owner has failed to win.
Geraghty added: “It would be lovely to win the race for him.
“Defi’s got a great chance but then again it’s probably going to be one of the best Champion Chases there’s ever been.
“Defi’s done nothing wrong all season and he loves his jumping, but we’re up against the reigning champ who ran well at Newbury last time out [Altior], while Chacun Pour Soi also looks a progressive, high-class horse.”
Geraghty admits the threat of the festival falling to coronavirus has affected the build-up.
He said: “It’s not ideal. There’s the feeling the plug could be pulled on the festival at any point, but we obviously just have to carry on as usual until we know any different.”
The father of three believes he has a great chance of adding to his 38 festival wins.
He added: “I’d say this is as good a book of rides as I’ve ever had, particularly the first two days. It looks like I’ve got some great chances.
“I remember in 2011, I’d had three seconds but no winners, and then thankfully Bobs Worth popped up in the Albert
Bartlett on the
Friday. But it just goes to show how a good book of rides can also be nearly a good book of rides.
“Given I ride some of the big fancies in the feature races, I suppose the rides I’m heading into Cheltenham with this year could be compared to 2005 when I had Moscow [Flyer] in the Champion Chase and Kicking King in the Gold Cup. “A good book of rides doesn’t guarantee success but it does give you chances.”
Ladbrokes expect £40,000 to be gambled every second during this week’s meeting.
Nicola Mcgeady said: “The festival gets bigger and bigger each year with massive sums of money swilling around on course, online and in shops up and down the country. The
four-day event is expected to spark a £300million betting frenzy in what can only be described as the Olympics of jump racing.”
Ladbrokes make it 4/6 for more than 265,000 pints of Guinness to be drank and the same price for over 50,000 bottles of champagne to be downed at Prestbury Park.
Meanwhile, the bookies are fearing a battering from punters on Wednesday when a number of the most fancied horses of the week run.
Short-priced favourites Envoi Allen, Tiger Roll and Appreciate It all line up in contests on day two, while JP Mcmanus has the favourites in the other four races with Champ, Birchdale, Defi Du Seuil and Aramax.
But Paddy Power added: “If Tuesday goes the way of punters, we’re in for a sleepless night as Wednesday could break the bookies.
“With three festival bankers in Envoi Allen [5/4 Ballymore Hurdle], Tiger Roll [Evs Cross Country] and Appreciate It [13/8 Champion Bumper] all appearing on the same card, the hat-trick has been hugely popular with punters.”
Leon Blanche from Boylesports said: “Tiger Roll and Appreciate It have been heavily supported to win their respective races. Wednesday has the making of being a day for the punter if you throw into the mix Envoi Allen now he is confirmed to run in the Ballymore Hurdle to kick proceedings off.”
Some of the Irish contingent have already arrived in Cheltenham, with Co Meath trainer Gordon Elliott walking the famous course yesterday morning to check the ground conditions.
He said: “We walked the track at 7am and it’s beautiful soft ground, yielding to soft probably in places. The track is in great condition.”
Barry Geraghty is a brand ambassador for Sporting Index who offer both spread and fixed odds betting.