The champion horse JP McManus is not allowed to race for £175,000: what is the reason.

Obstacle on the way to the prize

According to The Sun: The horse named A Dream To Share, which won the festival in Cheltenham, has been banned from participating in the £175,000 race due to a dispute over its rating.

A Dream To Share, which won the Champion Bumper in 2023, was considered a great hope for the famous owner JP McManus.

Rating situation

Unfortunately, in the next season, A Dream To Share could not show good results over hurdles but recently returned to victories in flat races at Leopardstown.

The well-known owner McManus applied for the horse to participate in the Cesarewitch race, which will take place in Newmarket on October 11. The horse is considered a favorite, but currently cannot participate due to the refusal of the Irish handicapper to provide it with a rating.

McManus has already filed an appeal with the relevant Irish and British authorities. He has reasonable arguments: the horse has participated in three races, which, according to the rules, allows it to be entered for flat races.

However, the British Horseracing Authority rejected the appeal due to the rules of reciprocity with the Irish regulatory council. The latest appeal was dismissed last week.

Expert opinions

Interestingly, respected journalist Dave Yates noted in a podcast that the horse A Dream To Share was 'offered' a rating of 104.

However, no official decision has been made yet, so the horse, which is the favorite of this important race, currently cannot participate in it.

A Dream To Share captured the hearts of the audience in Cheltenham over two years ago when student John Gleeson helped him achieve victory.

McManus bought this horse a month before its triumph, at the Clea Gleeson club, the wife of Mr. Brian Gleeson, an ITV Racing expert and father of John.

After the victory, John remarked:

“Mr. McManus was very generous. He said that I would definitely stay on him today.”

The situation with A Dream To Share is quite complicated, and although he is the favorite of the race, the uncertainty with the rating leaves questions open about his participation. McManus's further actions may play a key role in resolving this situation, as horses with high winning chances deserve fair treatment.

The developments around A Dream To Share and its future fate may be important for racing fans, as the nature of competitions and rules may change depending on appeals and their outcomes.