Punters suffer as the bookies strike gold

"The punters clawed a bit back in the later races on Wednesday, but we couldn't be happier with the first two days. It's been the polar opposite of last year, when all the good things were going in one after another, and we're now looking forward to the biggest day of all." Some of the high rollers of the betting ring clearly feel that Best Mate could prove vulnerable.

One Hills client has placed £2,000 on the progressive Irish Hussar at 25-1, while Ladbrokes report that a win for last year's runner-up Truckers Tavern would put a £350,000 hole in their ante-post book.

Corals fielded the single biggest ante-post bet of the Festival when a Chester businessman had £40,000 on Best Mate at 6-4, while Cork bookmaker Cashmans have a client who staked 2,000 euros each-way on Harbour Pilot at 28-1.

From a personal viewpoint, the Festival started slowly but has warmed up nicely thanks to one courageous hurdler and the miracle of betting exchanges.

Tuesday brought a near miss with a good ante-post each way bet on Kicking King in the Arkle Chase followed by two unmitigated disasters as Haut Cercy and Hidden Bounty ran as if they had an anvil tied to each hoof.

Monkerhostin helped turn the tide with his gutsy success in yesterday's Coral Cup, and laying a steady stream of losers on Betfair has turned the red column in the betting diary to black as we move into the final day.

It has to be said there is something very strange about standing on a packed stand at Cheltenham and shouting for every horse in the race apart from the one you have chosen to oppose.

But needs must when the atmosphere at the most captivating meeting of the year takes hold.