Punters make most of final day chances at Cheltenham

Mullins helps backers win betting battle.

A magnificent Willie Mullins four-timer made him the most successful trainer at the Cheltenham Festival of all time and was highlighted by Al Boum Photo retaining his Magners Gold Cup mantle, ensuring punters had the last word on the fourth and final day.

Victory for the 100-30 favourite was the final nail in the coffin of the layers, who collectively reported there had been solid backing for the first back-to-back winner of chasing’s blue riband since Best Mate.

Earlier in the day Saint Roi had run out a well-supported winner of the Randox Health County Hurdle, returned 11-2 in the JP McManus silks, while Monkfish at 5-1 was solid throughout market exchanges for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.

Coral’s David Stevens, reflecting on the Mullins bonanza, said: “We’d found the going extremely testing over the first three days and after Goshen’s unlucky last-hurdle mishap (in the Triumph Hurdle) got us off to a cracking start, any hopes that our luck might change were dashed when Saint Roi became the latest horse to turn a supposedly competitive handicap into a rout.

“Monkfish followed up in the Albert Bartlett before Willie bagged his fourth winner of the day in the biggest race of all.

“Punters had few doubts that Al Boum Photo could win the Gold Cup for a second time and he duly obliged, ensuring this year’s Festival is one to forget for the bookies.”

Coral make Al Boum Photo a 6-1 chance to complete a hat-trick of wins in the 2021 Gold Cup.

PaddyPower feared a bad final day after the Mullins four-timer, but got out of jail. Spokesman Paul Binfield said: “We were massively concerned after the ‘Carlow Conjuror’ won the first four races, but the Foxhunters got us out of jail with a 66-1 no-hoper.

“And the last two races also went our way as even though Chosen Mate attracted some support, there was nothing for Indefatigable in the Martin Pipe.

“It’s been a tremendous battle, but at the end of the day it was levels you devils on the week.”

Gold Cup second Santini proved easy to back throughout the day, drifting to 6-1 at one stage before recovering to go off 5s. Aided by first time cheekpieces that made him look and race sharper, the Nicky Henderson-trained gelding rallied well up the final hill after getting shuffled back rounding the final turn.

It has been impossible to keep McManus out of the headlines and the popular green and gold colours struck for a seventh time at the meeting when Saint Roi landed the County after being backed into 11-2 favouritism. The clue was Barry Geraghty’s decision to partner the raw novice in preference to Ciel De Neige, who failed to menace.

The Albert Bartlett saw the first four in the betting filling those places and was another triumph for the punters. Monkfish, Latest Exhibition and Fury Road engaged in a memorable battle on the run-in, with 4-1 favourite Thyme Hill not far behind in fourth.

A Mullins five-timer was only prevented by It Came To Pass in the Foxhunters, while a huge plunge on the McManus-owned Front View never looked like materialising in the lucky last, won by Indefatigable.

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