JP McMANUS is thought to have pulled off ‘another genius buy’ – with an ‘impressive’ Emmet Mullins-trained horse declared to run at Punchestown.

The billionaire racing supremo – who was crowned top owner last weekend – has gone into his pocket yet again to purchase a horse from Paul Byrne.

Dubbed ‘the shrewdest guy in racing’, McManus has poached several top class runners from Byrne in recent years.

Among them are Cheltenham National Hunt Chase winner Corbetts Cross and Meetingofthewaters, who finished third in the Ultima and seventh in the Grand National after switching to McManus.

The latest recruit is Harbour Highway, who McManus bought on April 15.

The five-year-old gelding has been declared to run in the Grade 1 bumper on Wednesday, day two of the Punchestown Festival, and is currently a 10-1 chance.

It looks an absolutely blockbuster renewal of the Flat race for jumps horses.

Champion Bumper hero Jasmin De Vaux is 13-8 fav with runner-up Romeo Coolio pitched in as well.

William Munny, who has been dubbed ‘the best bumper horse in Ireland’, is 9-2 ahead of Harbour Highway.

But it’s the latter who really catches the eye.

Harbour Highway is a son of Youmzain, the three-time Arc de Triomphe runner-up who was trained by former England striker Mick Channon.

Youmzain won £3.4million on the racecourse and excelled over middle distance trips.

Harbour Highway won a bumper at Navan in March after being sent off 9-5 ahead of JP’s Mywayofthinkin, a half-brother to Cheltenham winners Inothewayurthinkin and Limerick Lace.

Mullins – remember it’s Emmet, not Willie – might have had the Champion Bumper winner in his ranks but for a cruel twist of fate.

Jeroboam Machin won the key bumper trial at Leopardstown’s DRF in style and was made ante-post favourite.

But injury ruled the horse – owned by Byrne – out.

Mullins might be keen to make amends with another potential superstar, who one punter reckoned was ‘another genius buy’.

It looks like this race may have been the plan all along too.

Speaking after Harbour Highway’s debut win, Mullins said: “He was impressive and galloped through the line, so hopefully he’ll go on to bigger and better things.

“It’s a few weeks to Punchestown and there is the winners’ bumper there.”

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