RUBY WALSH has Cheltenham Festival ante-post punters dreaming of a mega payday after his tip was slashed in the markets.
But it’s another horse bookies fear the most following a surge of support.
Legendary jockey Walsh put up Noble Yeats for the Gold Cup at 66-1 on last week’s Road to Cheltenham on Racing TV.
He told co-host Lydia Hislop he had a ‘sneaky feeling Noble Yeats is a complete dark horse who could end up a Gold Cup horse’.
Punters quick to get on could take this year’s Grand National hero at massive odds.
But they didn’t last all that long as already by Friday morning there were nibbles – before it collapsed entirely on Saturday.
That was after the Emmet Mullins-trained seven-year-old showed an electric turn of foot to win the Grade 2 Many Clouds at Aintree.
A tap on the hind quarters from jockey Sean Bowen and Noble Yeats put the race to bed in a matter of strides.
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The official winning margin over Dashel Drasher was three-and-a-quarter lengths but the star chaser won cosily.
Firms reacted by cutting him to as short as 10-1 for the Festival feature, although you can get 12s with a couple now.
Walsh’s thoughts were given weight as delighted owner Robert Waley-Cohen confirmed Noble Yeats will have one more run before aiming for the Gold Cup.
He said: “If you look at the history books most horses go to a Grand National after they win a Gold Cup, so we’re doing things unusually.
“That said, it’s pretty unusual to win a Grand National as a seven-year-old novice, but that’s Emmet for you – he’s a very cunning trainer.”
However, Ladbrokes revealed it is a Nicky Henderson horse who will be their biggest Festival loser – although maybe not the one you think.
Constitution Hill has swept all before him so far and is massive odds-on for the Champion Hurdle.
But Nicola McGeady reported that Hendo’s novice chaser Jonbon – who is 7-4 for the Arkle – will be their biggest headache after his easy Grade 1 win at Sandown.
She said: “Jonbon’s mouth-watering performance at Sandown was the biggest draw for punters.
“But Lossiemouth, Protektorat, and Chapeau De Soleil are also among the names attracting most support at this early stage.”
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