Politologue

Grand National-winning owner John Hales has died at the age of 85. The owner of Neptunes Collonges (Fr), who landed one of the tightest finishes to the National in 2012 when beating Sunnyhillboy (Ire) by a nose, was associated with a string of great jumpers, including another special grey, One Man (Ire). The latter was one of three Queen Mother Champion Chase winners for Hales, along with Azertyuiop (Fr) and Politologue (Fr), and recently he had extended his racing interests to a successful partnership with fellow leading owners Sir Alex...

Emma Berry's occasional look at the narrow divide between the Flat and National Hunt Supasundae (GB) was bred for those high summer days at Epsom, Ascot and Goodwood. By Galileo (Ire) and out of a Danehill half-sister to Group 1 winners Nathaniel (Ire) and Great Heavens (Ire), both of whom are also by Galileo, it was no stretch for his breeder Newsells Park Stud to have Classic aspirations for him when he arrived in this world in January 2010. Plan A didn't quite work out: Supasundae was bought in at...

CHELTENHAM, UK—The green and gold hooped colours of JP McManus have become over the last three decades the silks most readily associated with the Cheltenham Festival and, on top of a ninth Champion Hurdle victory on Tuesday, the owner enjoyed another four wins to cap a memorable birthday week. With 64 Festival victories, McManus has accrued more than double the number of Michael O'Leary's Gigginstown House Stud, his nearest rival on the owners' roll of honour. Involved with him in his first two winners of the day—Champ (Ire) (King's Theatre...