RACING:MOST OF the major titles have already been decided for the 2011-12 Irish National Hunt season but there still remains the owners' championship to be fought over between JP McManus and Michael O'Leary on the final meeting of the campaign at Punchestown today.
McManus is the defending champion and holds a relatively narrow lead of close to €50,000 over his big rival after collecting almost €1.7 million in prize-money this season to date.
However, O’Leary’s Gigginstown Stud team, champion owners in 2010, have runners in both Grade One races this afternoon including Magnanimity in the €140,000 Gold Cup, a race in which McManus is represented by the English-trained Quantitativeeasing.
Davy Russell has managed to secure a first jockeys’ title after five runner-up placings with 104 winners, well clear of his old rival Ruby Walsh.
Both riders are much closer in terms or prize-money, however, with both notching nearly €1.7 million this season.
Willie Mullins is again champion trainer with over €2.7 million in total prize-money, almost three times more than his nearest rival, Noel Meade, and 137 winners to date.
His son Patrick is again crowned the champion amateur jockey (with 42 winners) while Paddy Mangan is champion conditional rider.
Dessie Hughes flies the Irish flag in today’s Bet 365 Gold Cup at Sandown with both Rare Bob and Vic Venturi, who both failed to complete Aintree’s John Smith’s Grand National course two weeks ago.
“Both are in good form and they are fine after Liverpool. The better the ground the better it will be for them. I’d like it to be good to soft,” said Hughes yesterday.
