Record rout for punters
Well up after three days, defeat for Kauto Star and Denman was the icing on the cake for the layers.
Results in the six other races also went the way of the old enemy, with no outright market leader successful.
Only 9-2 joint-favourite Baby Run gave backers brief respite as the industry’s total profit bulged to an estimated £60million.
David Williams of Ladbrokes said: “It was a result beyond our wildest dreams. The cheers for Imperial Commander came from the bookies and we roared him up the Cheltenham hill.
“The gamble on Kauto Star was colossal. Had he won we’d have handed back all the cash we made earlier in the week. Getting the big two beaten was nothing short of superb.
“God was smiling on the bookies in the Cotswolds this week. It was the best Festival we’ve had in a generation and we didn’t want to go home.”
Only four winning favourites collected from 26 races over the four miserable days for punters.
A staggering £150million a day was wagered industry-wide, on each of the four days of the festival, with another £1million per race staked on-course in cash — leading to a £600million turnover on the four-day Festival.
“This will go down in history as the worst set of results that Cheltenham punters have experienced,” said William Hill spokesman David Hood.
“Time after time, long-priced winners sailed back to the winner’s enclosure celebrated by just a handful of punters who had backed them.
“We’ve bloodied the punters’ noses – and the healing process could take some time.”
Totesport spokesman George Primarolo said: “This year’s Gold Cup was billed as the decider and it certainly settled the battle between punters and bookmakers at the Festival as Imperial Commander’s victory at 7-1 landed the knockout blow.
“The betting public will be licking their wounds for a long time to come.”
Betfred boss Fred Done said: “It’s one of the best festivals in living memory and I never thought we would get three of the four Cheltenham hotpots turned over.”
