26-02-2008 Irish billionaires buy 3 per cent stake in Ladbrokes

Racing magnates JP McManus and John Magnier are thought to have jointly acquired a near 3 per cent stake in Ladbrokes just few days after fellow billionaire Joe Lewis acquired a 7 per cent stake in the bookmaker.

The three billionaires are believed to have tried in the past to buy Gibraltar based Victor Chandler and to own a minor interest in Irish betting exchange Betdaq.