The famous green and gold silks have been seen in France intermittently over the last few years, but there has been a definite shift in their recruitment policy in 2024. As well as adding 10 new French names to his training roster in the UK and Ireland, JP McManus has also made an investment in some top class horses who will remain in France with Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm. This isn't the first time that JP McManus has invested in a French trainer, David Cottin, Daniela Mele, Erwan Grall and Isabelle Pacault have all trained horses in the green and gold in the last 10-years, but something about this investment feels different. Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm are one of the rising powers in French National Hunt racing and they have also shown themselves to be more than capable of readying their horses to run in the UK, most notably with Il Est Francais. That could prove to be a match made in heaven, with the opportunities and prize-money that France can offer an obvious benefit when considering where to place a young horse.
France Galop currently report that their are 3 horses in training for JP with the team and each of them has the potential to be a Grade 1 winner. Here's a brief summary;
Milan Tino
I adore Milan Tino and I won't hear a bad word heard against him. He is no stranger to UK punters, having already run in a pair of Triumph hurdle trials and the Boodles Handicap hurdle at the Cheltenham festival. He is still a novice after 5 starts, which actually leaves a few more options open for him, but he is very consistent and had form with the best Juveniles in France 12-months ago. He is a big scopey son of Milan and I think it is fair to say that he probably ran beyond his pedigree last season as he is really bred to develop into a chaser as he matures. The 2-mile trip proved to be inadequate for him last season and he ran 3 identical races at Cheltenham, travelling nicely into the race before being outpaced after the 2nd last. There is no shame in being beaten by Burdett Road, Sir Gino and an Irish plot in the Boodles, but I think that the 2024-25 season will be where he excels. Whether he remains over hurdles or goes chasing, he will now be able to go up in trip, which looks certain to bring out more improvement and with plenty of options for a top class 4-year-old at Auteuil in the autumn, he won't be a maiden for much longer.
Stencil (pictured above)
A winner of a 3-year-old hurdle at Compiegne in May, this purchase has slipped under the radar this summer, but it could prove to be a very shrewd piece of business. A son of Masar, he is a half-brother to William Haggas' promising juvenile Frantanck and it is probably fair to say that his pedigree doesn't scream juvenile hurdler, but there was a lot to like about his debut win. Having sat behind the early leaders, he made smooth headway into the home straight and despite being carried left by the erratic jumping of the eventual 3rd, he showed a good attitude when landing in front after the last and seemed to relish the climb to the line. The form in behind him is somewhat patchy, though the 4th placed Moty Marc has had a good summer and is now rated 69kg (138), so there is some substance to it, but it was the manner of this victory that caught the eye more than the bare form. There is clearly plenty more to come from him and the fact that he held an entry in the G3 Prix Aguado in the spring would suggest that his connections think he is capable of developing into a top juvenile this season.
Kloth of Utopia
I have written about this horse before, so I won't dwell on him too much. However, a half-brother to the superstar stayer Theleme is too much to ignore and after a promising debut when 4th in the G3 Prix D'Indy in the spring, he is one of the most exciting novices to run in the green and gold this season. The debut at that level was clearly a statement of intent, but it also allowed him to gain experience at the highest level, with a view that he would either win a big prize or gain valuable experience whilst keeping his novice status in tact. The form is exceptionally strong and I can't wait to see him make his return in the Prix Cadoudal at Auteuil on Saturday. In a recent interview on the Nick Luck Podcast, Noel George appeared to imply that we will see him in the UK this season too and he could develop into a dark horse for the novice races over intermediate trips.
JP McManus French Purchases 2024-25
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