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06 Sept 2025
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06 Sept 2025
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HE entertained the masses with his three successive Champion Hurdle wins at Cheltenham, but yesterday it was the turn of legendary racehorse Istabraq to enjoy some well-deserved TLC.
The JP McManus-owned bay put his hooves up at his stable in Martinstown Stud, County Limerick while staff waited on him hand and hoof.
There were personalised banners, cupcakes and streamers, and not one, but two cakes for the much-feted champion hurdler.
A specially commissioned rich chocolate cake featured the horse in full flight jumping over a hurdle with Charlie Swan on board sporting the famous green and gold hoops.
Istabraq, either wanting to keep the cake for posterity or following his own taste buds, plumped for the less dashy carrot cake. And a photo of him champing at the bit for some more went viral on Sunday afternoon.
Legendary jockey AP McCoy was one of the first to pay tribute to the famous horse tweeting “Happy 29th birthday Istabraq! Still calling the shots.....Apparently he’s not the favourite or spoiled #Don’tPushIt” in reference to the Grand National winner he rode in 2010 for Istabraq’s owner JP McManus.
Happy 29th birthday Istabraq!
— AP McCoy (@AP_McCoy) May 23, 2021
Still calling the shots.....Apparently he’s not the favourite or spoiled #Don’tPushIt pic.twitter.com/7mtcpC4Wkp
Istabraq, of course, secured three successive Champion Hurdle victories at the Cheltenham Festival from 1998 to 2000 for JP and Noreen McManus, with the cancellation of the meeting in 2001 because of foot and mouth disease almost certainly robbing him of a fourth Cotswolds crown. He has been enjoying a leisurely retirement at his owner’s Limerick home, Martinstown Stud.
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