RUBY Walsh has been leading jockey at the Cheltenham Festival 10 times since 2004 but the odds on him lifting the title again next month have drifted following news this week that Faugheen and Min will miss the meeting.
Walsh is 8/13 with Ladbrokes to be top rider at the Festival. Willie Mullins is a general 2/5 chance to be the leading trainer.
Faugheen’s absence was confirmed on Monday when Willie Mullins announced that both Faugheen and Min would be joining Annie Power in missing March’s showpiece
Of the three Mullins absentees, it’s Faugheen’s absence that has caused the biggest damage to punters with 6.1% of all ante-post singles according to Oddschecker since the end of last year’s festival being on the 2015 Champion Hurdle hero.
In recent seasons Mullins has supplied a number of Irish bankers on the first day and punters linked them in accumulators.
Annie Power’s fall in 2015 after wins by Douvan, Un De Sceaux and Faugheen cost punters a reputed £1 million in bets while last year, Min, Douvan, Annie Power and Vroum Vroum Mag were a first day accumulator that went by the wayside as Min was beaten in the Surpeme Novices.
On the opening day Willie Mullins still has 50 entries across the four graded races with French import Melon responsible for 15% of all ante-post bets on the Supreme Novices through oddschecker’s website and is the most popular Mullins horse on day one in terms of bet volume, his runners account for 40% of all ante-post bets on the race.
The OLGB Mares’ Hurdle on the opening day looks like being one of the most competitive in its history with Apples Jade, Vroum Vroum Mag, Limini and Jers Girl all quoted under 10/1.
Day one of the festival ends with the J.T. McNamara National Hunt Chase where A Genie Ina Bottle is the currenet favourite. Punters will certainly be hoping the likes of Altior, Native River and Bellshill make it through their assignments unscathed.
Summary:
Accumulators ruined by Annie Power, Min and/or Faugheen withdrawal: 38.02%
Willie Mullins horses account for 41% of bets on day one
Melon most popular Mullins horse on day one