The Irish and their annual invasion of England for the Cheltenham Festival are one of the great idiosyncrasies of the jumps racing showpiece in mid-March.
Thousands of racing-crazed folk cross the Irish Sea for the meeting. But one looms large over all others, evoking emotions of awe and fear in the massive crowds gathered in the Cotswolds – and particularly among the bookmaking fraternity. His name is John Patrick McManus, or simply "JP".
JP turned 74 on Monday, doubtless reflecting on an astonishingly successful life in gambling. From modest beginnings as a small-time bookie, he has become one of Ireland's richest men, with a net worth of around €3 billion (about R60 billion), and its most powerful racehorse owner, with the green and gold hooped silks ubiquitous.
This story is from the March 13, 2025 edition of The Citizen.
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This story is from the March 13, 2025 edition of The Citizen.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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