Impressive Challow hurdle winner The New Lion sold to J P McManus.

Dan Skelton's impressive 6 year old hurdler who is currently unbeaten after destroying the field in the Challow Hurdle at Newbury by 4 1/2 lengths in a canter. This years Challow was named as one of the best in recent years including the Paul Nicholls trainer Regents Stroll and J & A J O'Neill trainer Bill Joyce who where both unbeaten over hurdles prior to this race.

J P McManus has bought this potential star and Cheltenham Festival favourite for a rumoured 1 million pound. Darren Yates, the former owner of The New Lion has made some big purchases over the years without them paying off including Interconnected who he brought for £620,000. Yates made his millions by betting on Frankie Dettori's Famous magnificent seven in 1996.

The New lion being led in after the Challow Hurdle victory - Sky Sports

Darren Yates said to sources in the Bloodstock world that he wouldn't accept an offer of £500.000 for the current 3/1 favourite for the Turners Novices' Hurdle.

" The story of this horse is unbelievable. I owned Blaklion and when we retired him i told Dan i want another horse by Kayf Tara. That's why we called him The New Lion - after the amazing horse which was the Blaklion."

Bolstering billionaire J P McManus squad for this years Cheltenham Festival where he has a strangle hold on the Mares' chase owning 4 of the top 5 market favourites. Also. having fancies in many of the top races including the Gold Cup with Fact To File, Looking ahead to the Grand National he also has returning champion I Am Maximus and well fancied Iroko, Inothewayurthinkin and Corbetts Cross.

J P McManus - Getty

It will be interesting to see if J P will make any high profile purchases which he has done over the past couple years so this could be the start of his spending spree. Adding more and more to his phenomenal string of horses.

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