Fresh from winning the 2000 Guineas aboard Bow Echo, Billy Loughnane has been given a ride for JP McManus on a Cheltenham Festival winner in Friday’s Chester Cup.
Billy Loughnane To Ride Cheltenham Festival Winner For JP McManus
Just six days after winning his first British Classic, Billy Loughnane will now ride a former Cheltenham Festival winner for JP McManus in Friday’s Chester Cup.
The 20-year-old gets the leg up on PUTURHANDSTOGETHER who was winner of the 2025 Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle.
Since winning at Cheltenham last year, Puturhandstogether hasn’t won another race over hurdles. However, he has won a big field handicap on the flat over 2m and was a gutsy winner of the Irish Cesarewitch last September.
Billionaire owner JP McManus now turns to Loughnane, who won the 2000 Guineas on Bow Echo in tremendous fashion.
If Loughnane is successful in the Chester Cup, it will make a great week even better.
WATCH: Puturhandstogether Wins Irish Cesarewitch
Cheltenham Festival winner Puturhandstogether lands the €600,000 Friends Of The Curragh Irish Cesarewitch under weighing room veteran Niall McCullagh for JP McManus and @JosephOBrien2 👏 @curraghrace pic.twitter.com/Qa1aFibDvp
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 28, 2025
Puturhandstogether Joint-Favourite For Chester Cup
Alongside stablemate Galileo Dame, Puturhandstogether is joint-favourite for the Chester Cup.
Ryan Moore will ride Galileo Dame, whilst Puturhandstogether will be ridden by one of the most talked about jockeys in the world right now – Billy Loughnane.
The pair can both be backed at around 8/1, but the eye-catching booking of Loughnane could see a shift in the odds.
Galileo Dame has been running well in defeat this season and was last seen finishing strongly in a 1m6f race at Navan on the flat. Before that, she won a maiden hurdle at the same track.
As for Puturhandstogether, he was seen finishing way down the field in the BetMGM Cup at Cheltenham two starts ago, but the last time he raced on the flat, he was a winner. So he has to be respected.
You’ll be able to watch the Chester Cup unfold on ITV Racing this Friday afternoon – at 3:05pm.
Chester Cup Betting Odds 2026
- Puturhandstogether 8/1 (Joseph O’Brien)
- Galileo Dame 8/1 (Joseph O’Brien)
- Blindedbythelights 10/1 (Sir Mark Prescott Bt)
- A Piece Of Heaven 12/1 (Joseph O’Brien)
- Berkshire Sundance 12/1 (Andrew Balding)
- Moon Over Miami 12/1 (Ralph Beckett)
- Team Player 12/1 (Ewan Williams)
- Alphonse Le Grande 14/1 (Tony Martin)
- Peaky Blinder 16/1 (Andrew Balding)
- Spirit Mixer 16/1 (Andrew Balding)
- Zanndabad 16/1 (Tony Martin)
- Duraji 20/1 (Richard Hughes)
- Maxi King 20/1 (Kevin Phillippart De Foy)
- Chemistry 33/1 (Jenny Candlish)
- Lips Freedom 40/1 (Andrew Kinirons)
- Tashkan 40/1 (Brian Ellison)
- Aimeric 50/1 (Jennie Candlish)
Has JP McManus Ever Won The Chester Cup?
Despite having fired in 86 Cheltenham Festival winners over the years.
Plus also landing the Grand National four times, JP McManus has NEVER won the Chester Cup.
Who Won The Chester Cup Last Year?
Last year’s Chester Cup was won by East India Dock, who similarly to Puturhandstogether is also a dual-purpose horse.
Harry Davies was aboard that day, winning the race for a second year in a row.
However, the young jockey does not have a ride in this year’s race.
He won it in 2024 on Zoffee too, for local trainer Hugo Palmer.
