Another good day for the 'layers'

Bookmakers’ celebrations continued at Cheltenham today as another day ended with punters going home potless again.

Despite the first two races going the way of horses popular in the betting, victories for the likes of Hot Weld (33-1) and Kadoun (50-1) in the final two contests meant that any winnings clearly went back into the satchels.

“Even the early victories for the well-backed Reveillez and for Fondmort could not prevent the punters from losing today,” said Stevens.

“For the second day running the final two races saw us clean up and this is rapidly turning into one of the best Festivals ever for bookmakers.

“Punters do have one day left to get out of trouble but in footballing terms we are 3-0 up with 20 minutes to play.”

Irish bookies Paddy Power were particularly pleased by the narrow defeat of Golden Cross in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle.

“It was the best-backed horse in Ireland today, bar none,” said spokesman Paddy Power. “And we were leading the cheers for the winner all the way up the straight.”

William Hill spokesman David Hood added: “It has been tremendous for the bookmakers at the moment and punters are hoping that serial Cheltenham failure Beef or Salmon will finally win the Gold Cup and reduce some of their misery.

“However, if he gets beaten it will be beef or salmon until Christmas for the bookies and chip butties for the punters.”

On-course punters in the main did little better.

But a winning wager of £600,000-£100,000, placed by the horse’s owner JP McManus, was registered about Reveillez in the first.

And although bookmakers got back on top with bets of £50,000 and £30,000 going down in the four-miler going down on Far From Trouble, the same owner admitted to having had “a small interest” on Kadoun, the 50-1 winner of the finale.

Recorded bets on the winner included an impressive £250,000-£5,000 each way.