Frankie rides to the rescue for backers with Stradivarius

Gold Cup hat-trick a painful one for bookmakers.

Frankie Dettori and Stradivarius saved the day for punters on a tricky third day at Royal Ascot complicated by persistent rain that caused the going to ease.

Bookmakers were counting the cash after the first three races, with well-backed horses going by the wayside as Highland Chief (20-1), Mountain Angel (8-1) and Molatham (11-2) took the Golden Gates Handicap, the Wolferton Stakes and the Jersey Stakes respectively.

Battleground (11-4) obliged for favourite-backers in the Chesham Stakes, before it was the turn of Stradivarius (4-5 favourite) to strut his stuff.

Concerns the soft ground might scupper Stradivarius’ bid for a hat-trick in the Gold Cup proved unfounded, with the super stayer powering home to score by 10 lengths.

Chad Yeomans summed up the layers’ viewpoint, saying: “Some things just don’t change!

“Frankie Dettori often comes to the rescue for punters on Ladies Day at Royal Ascot, and his breathtaking success on Stradivarius in the Gold Cup was a very costly result for us and good one for the Betway punters.

“We took a view and we super-boosted him to evens and there were plenty who got stuck in!

“The day started well for us with the well-backed pair of Global Storm in the opener and Sir Dragonet in the Wolferton getting turned over.

“Frankie Dettori was aboard the strongly supported favourite King Leonidas in the Jersey and the colt’s lack of experience took its toll as he trailed home in sixth place which was a good result for the book.”

Khaloosy (9-2) was a well-backed winner of the Britannia Handicap, beating the 11-4 favourite Finest Sound, while so-called handicap good thing African Dream never got a look in as Onassis (33-1) came out on top in the Sandringham Stakes for Hayley Turner.

“The last race of the day was all about the handicap blot African Dream and she was well beaten, which was a welcome tonic for our treading team,” said Yeomans.

Paddy Power spokesman Paul Binfield said: “Ground conditions may have saved us on Ladies Day as punters were losing faith in staying sensation Stradivarius on the soft terrain and he drifted.

“Khaloosy was our worst result of the day, but, once again, a huge-priced winner in the ‘lucky’ last meant we were slightly up on the day as we are on the week.”

It was a day of mixed fortunes for Ladbrokes with the ‘Magic Sign’ ending proceedings on level terms with the backers.

Nicola McGeady of Ladbrokes said: “It was all going swimmingly this afternoon up until Battleground spoiled the party. From that moment punters clawed it back with Stradivarius’ victory in the Gold Cup being the highlight.

“Hayley Turner’s victory in the last saved us from a losing day and once again, we are all square.”

It was a similar story for Coral.

“For the third Royal meeting running, Stradivarius and Frankie Dettori have obliged for favourite-backers in the biggest betting race of the week,” said their spokesman David Stevens.

“While it was a costly victory for us, one silver lining for the bookies this time around was that it was Frankie’s first winner of the day, not his fourth as it was 12 months ago, so we’ll take the hat-trick with a smile.

“Battleground was another impressive and well-backed favourite, but the early exchanges went our way so once again at this unusual Royal Ascot, it was another score draw between punters and layers.”

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