A lucky gambler placed a £500,000 bet on a horse - and won.

Tony McCoy was the bookmakers’ unlikely saviour as the layers were for once pleased to see the 16-times champion jockey win a big race.

There was little to choose between punters and bookmakers after a week-long battle in the betting ring came to a close at Royal Ascot on Saturday.

Connections of Carlton House remain “extremely hopeful” the Investec Derby favourite will make Saturday’s race, despite suffering a late setback.

BIG BUCK’S once again lived up to his name when raking in the cash for punters with a third successive win the Ladbrokes World Hurdle.

IT was the bookmakers who were all smiles despite a virtual Irish monopoly on day two of the Cheltenham Festival.

It was the bookmakers who were all smiles despite a virtual Irish monopoly on day two of the Cheltenham Festival.

THE post-race reaction following Hurricane Fly’s victory in the Stan James Champion Hurdle was fascinating.

IT is looking increasingly likely that the much-hyped St Nicholas Abbey will miss the Investec Derby at Epsom next Saturday.

BEETHOVEN, last season’s Dewhurst winner, has been ruled out of the StanJames.com 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.

THAT was some over-reaction by the bookmakers to Fame And Glory’s success in the Group 3 Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown on Sunday.

BOOKMAKERS believe John Smith’s Grand National success for ante-post favourite My Will could cost the industry up to £100m at Aintree on Saturday.

Binocular could be part of the largest field for the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle in 18 years with Nicky Henderson’s hot favourite one of 24 horses declared for Tuesday’s main event.

Binocular could be part of the largest field for the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle in 18 years with Nicky Henderson’s hot favourite one of 24 horses declared for Tuesday’s main event.

King Of Rome is as low as 12-1 for Saturday’s Vodafone Derby following the news he will be ridden by Johnny Murtagh.

KING Of Rome has been all the rage for the Vodafone Derby following news that he will be Johnny Murtagh’s mount at Epsom on Saturday.

Prince Forever is the new favourite with the sponsors for the William Hill Lincoln after leading ante-post fancies Zaahid and Lang Shining both missed the cut for the Doncaster showpiece.

LEADING ante-post fancies Zaahid and Lang Shining both missed the cut for the William Hill Lincoln at Doncaster.

WHAT’S £150 million (€196m) between friends?

KAUTO Star is once again an odds-on favourite to land back-to-back victories in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup following an upbeat bulletin from Paul Nicholls.

Bookmakers have unsurprisingly installed next season’s 1000 Guineas favourite Proviso at the head of the market for Saturday’s Meon Valley Stud Fillies’ Mile at Ascot.

Bookmakers were purring following day one of the Cheltenham Festival after several well-backed favourites were turned over.

TARANIS is holding on to his position as favourite for the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham even though the gamble on Vodka Bleu shows no signs of waning.

Rail Link was a shock winner of a star-studded Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp.