PUNTERS have latched on to a number of Willie Mullins’ stars as the Cheltenham Festival nears.
As always, the Irish trainer has kept his cards close to his chest in deciding what races number of his big guns are fired at.
Mullins is hot favourite to be top trainer at the Cheltenham Festival
But if the moves on the Betfair Exchange are anything to go by, then the likes of Sir Gerhard and Galopin Des Champs might have been given their target.
Sir Gerhard has been backed into favouritism from Nicky Henderson’s Constitution Hill in the Festival opener, the Supreme.
Sir Gerhard is now the 2-1 favourite with Constitution Hill available at 5-2 with the likes of William Hill.
Meanwhile Mullins’ stablemate Dysart Diamond – who like Sir Gerhard is entered in the Supreme and Ballymore – has been backed into 7-4 for the latter.
There has also been a big move for Galopin Des Champs in the Brown Advisory Chase.
Mullins last week said he could send his star into battle with Bob Olinger in the Turners’ Novice Chase.
But the Betfair Exchange now says the opposite as his price has shortened to less than 3.0.
There’s also been money for Chacun Pour Soi, who takes on Shishkin and Energumene in the Champion Chase.
He’s now 5-1 from 7-1 to upset the two apparent star names.
Coral’s Dave Stevens said: “Chacun Pour Soi has been sent off the 8-13 favourite on his two starts to date in Britain, and been well-beaten on both occasions, but punters have not deserted the Irish star ahead of this year’s Champion Chase, and he could yet emerge as the closest market rival to hot favourite, Shishkin.”
Will Hill’s Tony Kenny said: “It seemed as if Sir Gerhard was destined for the Ballymore on Wednesday, but all the support for Willie Mullins’ horse in the last 24 hours has been in the Supreme market.
“It’s been pretty strong support too and in fact Sir Gerhard has now surpassed Constitution Hill as the favourite for the Festival opener at 2-1, with Nicky Henderson’s contender a 5-2 chance.
“Might the money for Sir Gerhard in the Supreme mean Dysart Dynamo heads to Wednesday’s Ballymore? Well, he’s now just 15-8 for that contest as punters try to guess which way Mullins is leaning.”
