He’s best mates with Tiger and used to own Man United. Meet the Irish billionaire with his first runner in the Cup

6 hours ago 3

When jockey Wayne Lordan walks into the mounting yard on Tuesday wearing emerald green and gold hoops with a white cap, it will mark a historic Melbourne Cup moment.

That’s because his mount Goodie Two Shoes is the first Cup runner for one of racing’s most famous owners, Irish billionaire and legendary racing figure JP McManus.

Irish billionaire JP McManus will have his first ever Cup runner on Tuesday.

The 75-year-old is an iconic personality in Ireland, a wealthy philanthropist with a gambler’s instinct and a dry wit.

He shuns the limelight, an anomaly in the social media age, and speaks at a pace he would hate his horses to run. But his influence on racing, the Gaelic Athletic Association and golf is enormous. Until now, however he has not had a runner in the Cup.

This year he has sent the Joseph O’Brien-trained Goodie Two Shoes to Australia under the care of recently retired trainer Michael Halford, who is looking after the mare at Werribee.

It’s a labour of love for Halford, who is honoured to be preparing one of McManus’ horses, given the impact he has had on Irish life and racing in particular.

Goodie Two Shoes, the first JP McManus-owned horse to run in a Melbourne Cup, returning after working at Werribee with Shane Crosse in the saddle.

“Numbers wise he is by far the biggest [owner], I would say. He is an amazingly generous man and absolutely loves the game,” Halford said. “He has a terrific interest and I am told he follows every horse closely. He is hands-on in terms of he would know what is going on. He is a wonderful owner and a wonderful man for the sport.”

Gift of the gab

McManus got his bookmaker’s licence aged 21 after being a regular Saturday punter at the Limerick betting shops while working in his dad’s plant hire business and living with four siblings on the family farm.

Soon after he bought his first horse, Cill Dara, a mare who had moderate form as a flat horse.

He had caught the racing bug, and he began buying horses that won over the jumps while his betting became so famous he was given the nickname “the Sundance Kid” as he took on bookmakers with punting sprees.

Golf great Tiger Woods alongside McManus at the Irishman’s pro am.

It’s no wonder he became friends with Australians such as the late Kerry Packer and Melbourne Cup-winning owner Lloyd Williams as they journeyed through racing at the same time.

It was at the track where McManus delivered great lines, such as: “When Edward [trainer Edward O’Leary] fancied a horse and he gave you the offers [tip], you didn’t need to have money, all you needed to have is credit because you always felt they would deliver”.

His most famous horse, the sensational hurdler Istabraq, won 14 group 1 races, but was the head of a long line of champion horses that included Grand National winner Don’t Push It. McManus has won more races than anyone at the Cheltenham Festival.

Like any owner, he’s had twice as many ordinary ones – which made him wary of getting carried away. When told post-race recently that his horse Dino Blue was good over the hurdles his deadpan response was instant.

“Well she has been doing it a while now, so she should be getting the hang of it.”

The Manchester United connection

McManus built his wealth in a range of businesses, including property development, with suggestions his real wealth came from successful dealings on the foreign exchange market. He also became an enormous contributor to hospitals and other charities in Ireland, particularly in his home county Limerick.

A private man, he also became business partners with other Irish icons John Magnier (the founder of Coolmore Stud) and Dermot Desmond. The trio recently sold their majority share in Bellchester Healthcare group to US buyers for a reported £5.2 billion (about $10.5 billion).

McManus and former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson almost two decades ago.

It was with Magnier that McManus owned a little over quarter of a share of Manchester United. The pair sold out to the Glazers in 2005 after a falling out over the breeding rights of champion horse Gibraltar Rock with the team’s coach Alex Ferguson. It is a decision and moment some believe was the beginning of the end for the famous Premier League club.

His golf course and five-star resort Adare Manor will host the 2027 Ryder Cup in Limerick, his connection to golf starting with the JP McManus Pro Am, which raises money for local charities.

Tiger Woods has described McManus as one of his dearest friends, with a charity golf round to play alongside Woods and Mark O’Meara auctioned off for £1.4 million in 2000. O’Meara quipped as the bidding got high he would even throw in a free lesson for that price. The tournament is now a fixture on the calendar of the world’s best, and most declare McManus is the main drawcard.

Not just here to make up the numbers

McManus rarely speaks other than when his horses run and he is unlikely to make the trip to Australia for the Cup, staying home with his wife Noreen. He leaves the management of his racing empire to former jockey Frank Berry, a man Halford says is a quietly spoken professional who is both a gentleman and shrewd. “He is a very good horseman,” he said.

However, McManus’ daughter Sue Ann is a potential visitor for the big race. Two-time cup winner O’Brien is also paying a flying visit to watch Goodie Two Shoes.

There are high hopes for the lightly raced seven-year-old mare, who has been placed at two starts at the distance, although O’Brien indicated after she won at Fairyhouse in July she needed good ground to be at her best.

“She’ll get the trip well, she’ll go on fast ground and I’m sure Joseph isn’t bringing her out to make up the numbers, so off a light weight, I’m sure she’ll do herself justice,” Halford said last week.

Wherever she finishes, her presence will be felt as McManus tunes into watch one of his own run around Flemington for the first time, trying to knock off the Aussies in a game he has played for 50 years.

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