‘It could be massive’ – The day one Cheltenham Festival accumulator featuring the horse bookies fear the most

BOOKIES could be on their knees on day one of Cheltenham Festival thanks to a ‘massive’ accumulator featuring the horse they fear the most.

Willie Mullins can start the ball rolling with two odds-on shots in the first two races.

PAThe liabilities could be enormous by the time Constitution Hill lines up in the Champion Hurdle[/caption]

Kopek Des Bordes looks an absolute world-beater and he forms the first leg in the Michael O’Sullivan Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at 1.20pm.

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Next up is JP McManus’ Majborough who is currently a best price 4-7 for the Arkle.

His odds collapsed after Nicky Henderson confirmed former favourite Sir Gino would miss the Festival for the second year in a row.

Then things really hot up.

Owner Rich Ricci suggested Lossiemouth could still line up in the Mares’ Hurdle.

Mullins said she had been trained for the Champion Hurdle all season but Brighterdaysahead defecting to the feature race could force a classic late switcheroo.

Following his comments on Wednesday night at Sun Racing’s Cheltenham Preview, Lossiemouth was eased out to 6-1 for the Champion Hurdle and was cut into 11-8 from 7-2 for the Mares’ Hurdle, while she is odds-on across the board in non-runner no-bet markets.

Cheltenham Festival day one banker acca

4-5 Kopek Des Bordes

4-7 Majborough

4-6 Lossiemouth

8-11 Constitution Hill

£10 pays £81.43

Ricci said: “She disappointed at Christmas and she had a horrible fall at Leopardstown in a race where we really didn’t learn anything.

“We had a chat with Willie on Tuesday night, she’s been left in both races and I think we’ll wait and make a call at the weekend.

“Paul chose to ride State Man at Leopardstown and I’d like to see who he is going to ride in the Champion.

“I know it will be difficult for him to get off State Man, he won the Champion last year, but who he chooses to ride is a factor.

“I’m not embarrassed to say we’ve campaigned her as a Champion Hurdle horse and it hasn’t worked out.

“UItimately, it will be Willie’s decision and we’ll have some input and make it over the weekend.

“She has got one more piece of work to do so we’ll see how she goes. Remember, she is only six, she is still a young horse.”

If Lossiemouth does line up in the Mares’ then it leaves Constitution Hill as the final leg of the four-fold.

He will have a hell of a race on his hands against Gordon Elliott’s mare – and it could go down as an all-time classic.

Constitution Hill is 8-11 currently and the biggest loser in the book across the week for Paddy Power and BetVictor.

A spokesperson said: “The prospect of four odds-on shots on day one wouldn’t have been welcomed by us, and it’s questionable how much it would have served up to the betting public.

“Now we have a true challenger to Constitution Hill in Brighterdaysahead.

“I think come the day, and depending on the shape of the race, we could just see briefly a little bit of odds-against on Constitution Hill, who as it stands remains our standout worst ante-post result in the book.”