WATCH: Limerick owner JP McManus scores big race success at Leopardstown

LIMERICK racehorse owner JP McManus celebrated big race success at Leopardstown on St Stephen's Day as Saint Roi came from last to first to open his account over fences in the Brand New Racing Post App Novice Chase.

Fourth in the Irish Champion Hurdle, the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham and the Punchestown Champion Hurdle last season, the McManus-owned seven-year-old had found the reopposing Fil Dor four lengths too strong on his chasing debut at Navan last month.

The pair again dominated the betting, with Fil Dor the 8-11 favourite to confirm his superiority and Saint Roi a 3-1 shot for Willie Mullins and Mark Walsh.

Visionarian gave a bold sight in front for much of the Grade One contest, with a couple of jumping mistakes late in the back straight putting Fil Dor on the back foot.

Walsh, meanwhile, bided his time aboard Saint Roi before producing him to challenge for the lead approaching the final fence.

Visionarian, the 25-1 rank outsider, did his best to make a race of it, but Saint Roi’s class kicked in on the level and he proved two and a quarter lengths too strong in the end.

A G1 success over fences for Saint Roi who lands the top-level honours for Mark Walsh & JP McManus, providing @WillieMullinsNH with a treble in the process at @LeopardstownRC pic.twitter.com/QOn75g6fUT

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) December 26, 2022

Paddy Power cut the winner to 14-1 from 25-1 for the Sporting Life Arkle Challenge Trophy at Cheltenham in March.

Winning owner McManus was recently honoured with the Contribution to the Industry Award at the annual Horse Racing Ireland Awards. The Limerick businessman is a 19-time champion National Hunt owner in Ireland.

He has been associated with many of the top jumps’ horses for over 40 years, enjoying well in excess of 4,000 winners, a list that includes Mister Donavan, Jack Of Trumps and Deep Gale, big early winners in the famous green and gold hoops.

The legendary Istabraq was a three-time winner of the Champion Hurdle, a race JP McManus also won on five other occasions, while the Cheltenham Gold Cup went his way with Synchronised and there was Aintree Grand National glory with Don’t Push It and Minella Times. 

Mullins, saddling his third winner on Leopardstown on St Stephen's Day with Saint Roi's success, said: “I thought he ran very well against a horse that had already had a run in Navan. If he’d won we’d be coming here anyway so rather than running in another beginners chase, I thought let him have a crack at a good prize.

“He jumps well enough and he’d schooled very well in the meantime. We decided to change the tactics. JP (McManus) was wondering would he be better waited with and Mark agreed. He’s a nice prospect for the rest of the season.

“He’s not the biggest horse in the world but he jumps very efficiently. He’s also a lot more sensible over a fence than a hurdle.

“He had a hurdle rating good enough to run in championship races but was probably not a champion hurdler himself.”