Bookies cursing their luck after getting whacked by Don Poli

Bookmakers face an "uphill struggle" to claw back the deficit in the betting ring battle after punters came out on top once more on day two of the Cheltenham Festival.

The layers only narrowly avoided what could have been the worst day in bookmaking history when Annie Power came to grief at the final flight in the OLBG Mares’ Hurdle on Tuesday, with the Willie Mullins-trained trio of Supreme winner Douvan, Arkle victor Un De Sceaux and Champion Hurdle hero Faugheen all big losers.

Mullins was unable to carry on the momentum in yesterday’s opening Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle, with 7-2 favourite Nichols Canyon only third, but Dermot Weld’s winner Windsor Park (9-2) had plenty of supporters.