Horse Racing

What Are The FIVE Cheltenham Festival Races JP McManus Has NEVER Won?

Andy Newton Sports Editor

Published09 Mar 2025

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In recent times there isn’t a bigger owner at the Cheltenham Festival than JP McManus – the legendary Irishman has fired in 78 winners at the biggest jumps meeting on the planet over the years. However, there are still FIVE Cheltenham Festival races that have eluded JP McManus – we reveal which ones and see if he’s got a chance of breaking any of these ducks in 2025.

The FIVE Cheltenham Festival Races JP McManus HASN’T Won

From the current batch of 28 Cheltenham Festival races there are only FIVE that JP McManus is still to get his hands on – including one of the main Championship races and both the mares hurdles events.

These are as follows.

Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase
Mares’ Hurdle
Queen Mother Champion Chase
Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle
Plate Handicap Chase

Did you know? JP McManus had five Cheltenham Festival winners in 2024

The ARKLE NOVICES’ CHASE Has Eluded JP McManus, But He’s Got A Great Chance In 2025

It’s hard to think that JP McManus hasn’t won the Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase as yet – as he’s had some top chasers over the years.

Fakir d’Oudairies was second to Put The Kettle On back in 2020, while Jonbon was also runner-up in 2023 to El Fabiolo.

However, the good news for JP is that this Arkle drought is expected to end in 2025 – according to the Cheltenham bankers.

Majborough was a tidy winner of the Irish Arkle at the Dublin Racing Festival in early February (watch below) and with his main rival in the race – Sir Gino – now sidelined this has shot JP’s exciting chaser to the head of the market.

The horse is also no stranger to winning at the Cheltenham Festival – he landed the Triumph Hurdle at the meeting in 2024 and will be looking to become the first horse EVER to win both the Triumph and the Arkle – wow.

McManus Is Still To Win The CHAMPION CHASE – But Will Be Hoping Jonbon Can End That Run This Year

Another of the big Cheltenham races that has so-far byed JP McManus is the Champion Chase – the feature contest on day two.

12 months ago, he went close to breaking his duck when Gentleman De Mee ran second to Captain Guinness, while Defi Du Seuil disappointed in 2020 as the beaten 2/5 favourite.

However, in JP’s defence he’s not actually had many runners in the Champion Chase.

Since 2015, he’s only had FOUR runners in the race – Mr Mole 8th (2015), Hell’s Kitchen Dsq (2019), Defi Du Seuil 4th (2020) and Gentleman Dee Mee 2nd (2024).

But, like the Arkle, JP has a top chance of gaining his first success in the Champion Chase with the best betting sites in the UK making his Jonbon the big favourite.

Jonbon has won an incredible 12 of his 14 starts over fences and banked over £1m in total prize money.

He was last seen winning the Clarence House Chase at Ascot in January (watch below), but those against him will cling to his Cheltenham Festival record of 0-2 to date.

That said, his only two runs at the Festival were a second to Constitution Hill in the 2022 Supreme – still no mean feat.

Plus, a runner-up finish in the 2023 Arkle to El Fabiolo at the peak of his powers.

JP McManus Has Won The Champion Hurdle NINE Times

Away from the Cheltenham Festival races that JP McManus is yet to win – at the other end of the spectrum, the Champion Hurdle has been a very kind race for the Irish owner.

He’s mopped up nine successes in the big day one feature over the years – more than any other owner in the race. With Istabraq’s trio of wins between 1998 and 2000 the big highlight.

JP McManus Champion Hurdle Winners

Istabraq (1998, 1999, 2000)
Binocular (2010)
Jezki (2014)
Buveur D’Air (2017, 2018)
Espoir d’Allen (2019)
Epatante (2020)

Synchronised Is The Only Cheltenham Gold Cup Winner For JP McManus So Far

The biggest race at the Cheltenham Festival is, of course, the Gold Cup – run on the final day.

It’s a race that JP McManus ticked off back in 2012 when the Jonjo O’Neill-trained and AP McCoy-ridden Synchronised stayed on the best up the Cheltenham hill (watch below) – with former winners Kauto Star and Long Run beaten that day.

However, the horse was only seen once more – which came in the Grand National that same year and ended in tragedy when Synchronised fell at the sixth fence but after carrying on riderless and fractured a leg at the 11th.

JP McManus Most Recent Cheltenham Winners By Race

Tues 11th March 2025: Cheltenham Festival Day One

1:20 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle – Captain Cee Bee (2008)
2:00 Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase – Yet to win
2:40 Ultima Handicap Chase Premier Handicap – Wichita Lineman (2009)
3:20 Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle – Yet to win
4:00 Champion Hurdle – Epatante (2020)
4:40 Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle – Brazil (2022)
5:20 National Hunt Chase – Corbetts Cross (2024)

Weds 12th March 2025: Cheltenham Festival Day Two

1:20 Turners Novices’ Hurdle – Istabraq (1997)
2:00 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase – Fact To File (2024)
2:40 Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle – Dame De Compagnie (2020)
3:20 Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase – Easysland (2020)
4:00 BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase – Yet to win
4:40 Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase – Le Prezien (2018)
5:20 Weatherbys Champion Bumper – A Dream To Share (2023)

Thurs 13th March 2025: Cheltenham Festival Day Three

1:20 Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle – Yet to win
2:00 Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase – Reveillez (2006)
2:40 Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle – Sire Du Berlais (2020)
3:20 Ryanair Chase – Uxizandre (2015)
4:00 Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle – Sire Du Berlais (2023)
4:40 TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase – Yet to win
5:20 Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Chase – Inothewayurthinkin (2024)

Fri 14th March 2025: Cheltenham Festival Day Four

1:20 JCB Triumph Hurdle – Majborough (2024)
2:00 County Hurdle Premier Handicap – Saint Roi (2020)
2:40 Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase – Limerick Lace (2024)
3:20 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle – Unowhatimeanharry (2016)
4:00 Cheltenham Gold Cup – Synchronised (2012)
4:40 St James’s Place Festival Hunter Chase – On The Fringe (2016)
5:20 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle – Iroko (2023)