Punters Continue Cheltenham Fightback As Favourites Hammer Bookies

A run of winning favourites helped punters continue to get their own back on the bookmakers on day three of the Cheltenham Festival on Thursday.

Defi Du Seuil (3/1) and Sire Du Berlais (4/1) got favourite backers off to a flier by winning the JLT and Pertemps Final respectively, making it six consecutive market leaders returning to the Festival winners’ enclosure.

Paisley Park also justified 11/8 favouritism and lived up to his growing reputation by winning the Stayer’s Hurdle and in doing so sparked celebrations for punters who had him as their banker of the Festival.

BoyleSports reported that the 50/1 winner in the Mares’ Novice Hurdle allowed them some relief, despite the fact that it landed a couple of big accumulators in Dublin which picked out the similarly-named Defi Du Seuil, Sire Du Berlais, Siruh Du Lac and Eglantine Du Seuil.

BoyleSports also continued to feel the pinch as the 6 consecutive winning favourites over Wednesday and Thursday saw them refund on 12 horses as part of their promise to give punters their money back as a free bet if their selection finishes 2nd or 3rd to an SP favourite in any race at the Festival.

The first two races really put us on the ropes and then Paisley Park delivered another blow in the Stayers’. We were really staring down the barrel at that stage before Willie Mullins came up with a 50/1 winner in the Mares’ Novice Hurdle.

That gave us slight relief so there’s not much in it now between us and the punters and it’s all to play for on Gold Cup day.