PUNTERS are certain Willie Mullins has got the Triumph Hurdle winner – after the all-conquering trainer snapped up an ‘impressive’ French recruit.
Billionaire racing supremo JP McManus stumped up the cash for Prix Finot (Poulains) winner Proactif.
JP McManus and Willie Mullins have teamed up with another potential superstar in the shape of Proactif[/caption]
Nouveau gagnant à 3ans en débutant pour #MaskedMarvel !
Proactif s’impose avec une grande assurance dans le Prix Finot (Poulains) sur 3.600m à Auteuil !
Félicitations à son entourage et ses éleveurs Alban et Emmanuel Chevalier Du Fau !pic.twitter.com/jMMDnl0Of2
— Haras d’Etreham Obstacle (@EtrehamObstacle) September 13, 2025
The three-year-old son of Masked Marvel won by six lengths going away at the line for then-trainer and owner Daniela Mele earlier this month.
It was Proactif’s first run and he looked a long way ahead of rivals on this evidence.
Mullins won the Triumph with Tony Bloom’s 100-1 outsider Poniros earlier this year.
Cheltenham bosses have changed the rules of the race on the back of it, given Poniros had never jumped a hurdle in public before.
Proactif now heads to Mullins‘ Closutton HQ as a 14-1 chance for the Grade 1 on the final day of the Festival.
It is another JP horse who heads the market, though.
Manlaga was snapped up by the legendary owner earlier this year and will be trained by Nicky Henderson.
Like Mullins, the Seven Barrows boss is readying his star-studded squad for the season ahead, which includes Constitution Hill, Lulamba and Sir Gino.
Incredibly McManus also has Narciso Has, the joint-second fav in the Triumph market, giving the owner the 1-2-3 as things stand.
But it is Proactif who has caught punter’s attention – especially as he looked a natural over hurdles.
Reacting to news that JP had bought the horse for Mullins, one said: “There’s the Triumph Hurdle winner.”
Mullins has dominated the top race for four-year-olds in recent years.
He has won the past four, with McManus’ Majborough taking top honours in 2024 before the Rich Ricci-owned double of Lossiemouth and Vauban won it before him.
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