McManus novices take top honours

JP McManus can look forward to next season with some relish after seeing his two star novice hurdlers My Tent Or Yours and At Fishers Cross enhance their sizeable reputations on the second day of the Grand National meeting at Aintree.

First to take to the Merseyside turf in the famous green and gold silks was the Nicky Henderson-trained My Tent Or Yours, who suffered defeat at the hands of Champagne Fever when considered one of the bankers of last month’s Cheltenham Festival in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. He was a warm order to recoup those loses in the Rose Appeal Supports Alder Hey Top Novices’ Hurdle as the 4-11 favourite and odds-on backers had few concerns.

As well as having a possible Champion Hurdle contender, McManus also boasts a major challenger for the World Hurdle after At Fishers Cross won his sixth race from as many starts this season in the John Smith’s Sefton Novices’ Hurdle.

So impressive in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, Rebecca Curtis’ stable star was an 11-8 favourite to secure a second Grade One haul and the result was scarcely in doubt as he quickened up to beat Just A Par by eight lengths.