Big-spending owners kick the recession into touch

One of the main reasons Ireland will travel to the Cheltenham Festival in March with a powerful team is the buying power of five major owners.

It is quite extraordinary, given we are in the grip of a global financial crisis, that racing in this country has at its disposal J P McManus, Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown House Stud, Rich Ricci, Barry Connell and Ann and Alan Potts.

Such thinking was prompted by the recent exploits of McManus and Connell, who paid telephone numbers for two horses.