McManus pair ready for the Champion Chase challenge
When it comes to JP McManus's attempt to win a major race at Punchestown on Tuesday, Dinoblue and Gentleman De Mee offer him a strong hand.
With five winners at the Cheltenham Festival and a treble at Aintree, including the Grand National triumph of I Am Maximus, this year has already been quite the year for the leading owner.
The British campaign that saw McManus named champion owner for the eighth consecutive season came to an end with Jonbon's victory in Saturday's Celebration Chase at Sandown. The 73-year-old will be looking to continue the trend this week back home.
His two runners in the Punchestown Festival's feature event on the first day had to settle for second place finishes at Cheltenham in March. Dinoblue finished second in the Queen Mother Champion Chase, just missing out to fellow McManus-owned runner Limerick Lace by the narrowest of margins.
On her return to an extended two miles, the owner's retained rider Mark Walsh has sided with Dinoblue, leaving National-winning jockey Paul Townend to partner Gentleman De Mee.
“Dinoblue is versatile trip-wise, I think – I don’t think the trip beat her at Cheltenham,” said McManus’ racing manager Frank Berry. “I think she’s come out of the race quite well, it’s competitive but she never runs a bad race and is very dependable. Gentleman De Mee is in good form and the better the ground, the better he’ll like it. We’re happy with him and it will be an interesting race.”
Dinoblue and Gentleman De Mee are two of four runners for Mullins, who saddles Saint Sam and Dysart Dynamo as well in a race that he has won in each of the previous five renewals.
Captain Guinness, owned by Henry de Bromhead, looks to be the greatest danger to the Closutton quartet. He recently enjoyed a day in the sun after winning the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham.
De Bromhead, who also runs outsider Maskada, said: “We’re delighted with Captain Guinness. We always felt he deserved to win a Grade One and the fact it was the Champion Chase was an added bonus. Maskada is being covered, so I’d say it’s her last run. So, we’ll give it a go and see if she can get some Grade One black type.”