Four famous JP McManus Cheltenham gambles that hit the bookies hard

JP McManus has struck fear into the heart of bookmakers for decades and his runners have been responsible for some extremely costly results for the layers. Here are four winners who triumphed at the Cheltenham Festival to the delight of punters

Mister Donovan
1982 SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle

After a few gambles had gone astray – most notably Jack Of Trumps in the 1978 National Hunt Chase and Deep Gale in the same race the following year – McManus finally got on the festival scoresheet in 1982 when Mister Donovan provided a "badly needed" win.

Reflecting on the victory, McManus said: "Mister Donovan winning the SunAlliance under Tommy Ryan was very special, not only because he won but because I badly needed it at the time. I'd had a disastrous first day at the festival and he got me out of all sorts of trouble."

The 9-2 shot is reported to have netted McManus £250,000, while the owner had further cause for celebration the following year when Bit Of A Skite won the National Hunt Chase to end the owner's hoodoo in the race.

Like-A-Butterfly
2002 Supreme Novices' Hurdle

McManus had been responsible for the last winner of the 2000 Cheltenham Festival, with Master Tern justifying favouritism in the County Hurdle, and eager punters rowed in with him two years later when the action finally resumed after an outbreak of foot and mouth had put paid to the meeting in 2001.

Like-A-Butterfly was not only unbeaten – she was unbeatable according to some of the brave punters who piled in and sent her off at 7-4 in a 28-runner edition of the Supreme.

She looked in trouble when Adamant Approach loomed up but his departure at the last left the door open for a popular victory.

Reveillez
2006 Jewson Novices' Handicap Chase

Legendary layer Freddie Williams and McManus had many great battles over the years, but it was the intrepid punter who came out on top in spectacular style on this occasion.

Reveillez, a smart Flat performer in his younger days, hadn't always convinced with his jumping but he had been handed a potentially lenient mark on his first handicap start over jumps.

McManus clearly felt the mark was generous as he wagered £100,000 at 6-1 with Williams and would have had few anxious moments as the horse readily triumphed by a length and a quarter as a heavily supported 9-2 favourite. For good measure McManus then had £5,000 each-way on Kadoun, who won the Pertemps at 50-1.

Tony McCoy drives Alderwood to a popular victoryCredit: Patrick McCann

Alderwood
2013 Grand Annual Handicap Chase

Alderwood had won the previous year's County Hurdle as a relatively unfancied 20-1 shot but he had plenty of supporters when he turned up in the Grand Annual, the final race of the 2013 Cheltenham Festival.

The Grade 1-winning hurdler was backed throughout the day and was sent off as a red-hot 3-1 favourite in a 23-runner race noted for its carnage.

However, he cruised through the contest under Tony McCoy and could be called the winner on the turn for home, picking up the running after the second-last and comfortably holding the renewed effort of Kid Cassidy to give McManus a one-two in the order many punters wanted.

Don't miss our exclusive interview with JP McManus – the leading owner talks Cheltenham and his early years as a bookmaker with Alastair Down. Available online Monday from 6pm for Ultimate members and in Tuesday's paper