J.P. McManus has added a live Cheltenham Festival contender to his already excellent team, with Oldschool Outlaw - currently second favourite for the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle - now set to carry the famous green and gold silks.

The listed bumper winner, trained by Gordon Elliott, claimed a notable scalp when becoming the first horse to beat Bambino Fever in a Naas maiden hurdle last month. The 2025 Champion Bumper heroine routed her rivals last week in a Fairyhouse maiden hurdle and is now a general 2/1 shot for the mares-only event (and 16/1 for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle).

McManus’ racing manager Frank Berry confirmed the sale to The Irish Field on Monday evening, and Elliott was upbeat about the mare when speaking at a press morning earlier the same day.

“Oldschool Outlaw goes for the Grade 3, the Solerina Mares Novice Hurdle, this Saturday at Fairyhouse,” said Elliott.

“We’ll see how this weekend goes, but we think she could be one for the Mares’ [Novices’] Hurdle. Bambino Fever obviously would have improved from her first run of the season against us, but we think Oldschool Outlaw is a good mare.”

The daughter of Walk In The Park was originally trained by Garry Caldwell to be placed in point-to-points and a bumper before a private deal to join the Cullentra team. She has been racing in the colours of Fran Mangan this season, winning both of her starts in good style.

This is not the first time that Mangan and McManus have done business together - and dealings between the pair have tended to be lucky for the champion owner.

Ex-Mangan-owned The Wallpark went on to finish third in last year’s Stayers’ Hurdle for McManus after a deal to acquire the smart stayer, while Honesty Policy, a dual winner for Mangan, was a major improver last season and collected at Grade 1 level for McManus at Aintree.