‘Savage’ new Willie Mullins horse smashed in Cheltenham Festival odds as new owner confirmed after six-figure purchase

WILLIE MULLINS’ ‘savage’ new horse has been smashed in the Cheltenham Festival markets – after the identity of her new owner was confirmed.

Billionaire supremo JP McManus has got his cheque book out again for 28-length debut bumper winner Aqua Force.

Sold for a six-figure fee, the six-year-old mare was included in Mullins’ eight-strong squad for the Champion Bumper.

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Aqua Force pulverised rivals in a 2m1f bumper at Gowran Park in Ireland last month, giving then-trainer Miguel Gunn a first ever winner.

Mullins was straight on to snap her up afterwards, although it’s believed he wasn’t aware who he was buying the horse for at the time.

McManus was listed as the new owner during entries for the Grade 1 Champion Bumper on Tuesday.

Aqua Force was 50-1 on the day of that debut win but has been obliterated into as short as 10-1 now.

And her pedigree gives huge hope for the future, given she’s related to former ten-length Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner Back In Front.

Speaking after he win, Gunn said at the time: “She’s a mare with a pedigree, it goes back to Back In Front.

“I’d say someone else might own her next time, that was a savage performance first time out in a bumper.

“She’s always been relentless, doesn’t know when she has enough done.”

Mullins once again looks set to dominate the Champion Bumper market and all of his big guns made the cut.

The 3-1 ante-post fav Gameofinches was included alongside former fav Copacabana, while Bambino Fever, Future Prospect, Green Splendour, Kaiser Ball and Sortudo were all given entries.

McManus has the favourite in roughly half the 28 Festival races currently.

He bought the Dan Skelton-trained The New Lion – currently 5-2 second-fav for the Turners Novices’ Hurdle – for a rumoured £1million.

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