Punters’ revenge was ‘vicious’

IF THE BOOKIES had it all their own way for the first three days of the festival, the punters finally had their moment yesterday with victories for heavily backed favourites Wichita Lineman and Kauto Star.

Kauto Star’s victory alone is estimated to have cost the layers about £€7m (€10.2m), but the bookies had lucky escape from what was already a nightmare day because if Whyso Mayo had won the Foxhunters Chase, they would have been on the end of an unmerciful mauling.

The Cork horse started at 2/1 favourite for the ‘amateur Gold Cup’ and was only beaten half-a-length by the JP McManus owned Drombeag. Had he won for the second year in a row, then the gloss would have been firmly removed from their week.