Irish businessman and horse owner JP McManus has been known to cast a few bets during the Cheltenham Festival, but few come close to his legendary win 15 years ago.
The Limerick billionaire, who turns 70 today, enjoyed one of his most profitable days when he took home over €1 million from a notorious bookmaker at the festival one year.
A successful owner, the festival is among the biggest weeks of McManus' year when the horse racing world descends on Prestbury Park.
And feeling bullish about one of his horse's chances, McManus decided to make a wager with notorious bookie 'Fearless' Freddie Williams.
The well-known Scottish bookie specialised in high-stakes bets with some of the festival's biggest gamblers, even taking six-figure bets on some occasions.
One of those moments came in 2006 when McManus put £100,000 (€116,500) on his own horse Reveillez at 6/1 the Jewson Novices Handicap Chase, the first race of the day.
And when the surprise win came, McManus was celebrating a £600,000 (€700,000) profit on his wager.
But the Irishman wasn't done yet as he had placed a £5,000 (€5,800) each-way bet on Kadoun, one of four horses McManus had running in the Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle later on.
And Williams was forced to fork out a further £325,000 (€378,000) as the 50/1 bet came good in an astounding win for McManus.
All told, McManus took home an eye-watering €1.078 million from the bookie in an incredible day for the bookie.
It later emerged that Williams was robbed of around €81,000 by a balaclava-wearing gang on the way back to his hotel to end a miserable day for the Scot.
