The one word that still turns a layer’s face grey: Destriero

THE battles on the infamous uphill climb after the last obstacle aren’t the only ones that will be played out on the Cotswolds this week.

The layers and the backers are also going head-to-head and with both bringing bulging war chests to the fray it makes for contests that are almost as interesting as the ones involving horses.

An estimated €55m is wagered on-course over the four days of the festival by around 220,000 punters attending the event, with another €150m through betting shops and online accounts.