‘We’re fearing the worst’ – will Bambino Fever spark a Thursday treble to trouble the bookies?

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Tuesday has often been when bookmakers brace themselves for an onslaught from punters with short-priced favourites in multiples. This year, punters have been more patient and awaiting a Thursday treble.

The three key races in this year’s ‘Cheltenham Festival accumulator’ take place on Thursday as punters place their faith in Fact To File in the Ryanair Chase, Wodhooh in the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle and Bambino Fever in the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.

Dreams – or nightmares depending on which side of the bookmakers’ pitch you stand – will build or be dashed depending on whether Bambino Fever, and the punters’ traditional acca pal Willie Mullins, can come home in front in the opening race of the day.

“We’ve faced the prospect of an extremely popular treble on this day since Fact To File was confirmed as running in the Ryanair last week,” said David Stevens, Coral’s head of PR. 

“At that stage we thought Lossiemouth would complete the treble along with her stablemate Bambino Fever, so once the former was rerouted to the Champion Hurdle it left Wodhooh as odds-on favourite for the Mares’ Hurdle. As a result, the three-timer pays around 5-1.

“While wins for all three would undoubtedly be costly, the combined odds aren’t so big that we can envisage an Annie Power-type scenario of a payout running into the tens of millions. In an ideal world we’d take one of the trio getting beaten.”

Annie Power’s fall in the 2015 Mares’ Hurdle – following wins by her stablemates Douvan, Un De Sceaux and Faugheen – saved bookmakers an estimated £50 million after punters had combined the quartet at odds of approximately 30-1.

Although the price is shorter this year, the prospect of Bambino Fever kicking off the treble has been causing layers’ anxiety.

Paddy Power spokesman Paul Binfield said: “Thursday was the day we singled out at the beginning of the week that could cause us most headaches. We’ll be keeping a close eye on our liabilities on those three shorties and we’re fearing the worst as they all look very solid favourites.

“It’s reminiscent of some of the multiple mayhem that we’ve experienced on previous festival Tuesdays, only it’s Thursday this time.”

The inflection point of the week that a Bambino Fever victory or defeat would represent extends beyond her involvement in potential multiples, according to William Hill spokesman Lee Phelps.

“Bambino Fever is one of our worst ante-post results of the entire festival,” he said. “If she goes in we’re going to be sweating buckets with Wodhooh and Fact To File lined up to follow her in. If all three do win, it’s fair to say that it will ruin our week and cost us well into seven figures.”

So, will last season’s Champion Bumper heroine oblige on her return to Cheltenham?

She was turned over on her hurdling debut at 1-4 by the reopposing Oldschool Outlaw, but looked much more like it when bolting up by 12 lengths last time. 

Her rider Paul Townend said: “She was so good here last year when winning the Champion Bumper. 

“She bumped into a good mare at Naas in December in the shape of Oldschool Outlaw, and she reopposes again, so I’d have enormous respect for her. 

“Bambino took a big step forward from that when winning impressively at Fairyhouse the following month, so I’d be very hopeful we can turn the tables with Gordon’s mare.”

What they say

Declan Queally, trainer of Carrigmoornaspruce
She’s been left plenty fresh as her last run was in a Grade 1 at Christmas, so we’re hoping she can put her best foot forward. She’s a very high-class filly and we think going up a furlong to two miles one and with that hill to climb should bring about a little bit of improvement.

David Pipe, trainer of Kingston Queen
She’s in great form and will love the track. We’d probably prefer the ground a bit softer but I think she’s a cracking each-way bet. We’ve put cheekpieces on to help horse and jockey.

Jamie Snowden, trainer of La Conquiere
She’s had a very good season. She stepped out of novice company last time and just got undone by a little bit of inexperience, but that won’t be lost on her in this race. I think she’s the best of the British and hopefully she can emulate You Wear It Well, who won us this race.

Paul Nolan, trainer of Louve D’Irlande
She’s not been with us long. She seems well. She had three wins in France and one poor run.

Gordon Elliott, trainer of Oldschool Outlaw
She’s great and has done absolutely nothing wrong. It won’t be easy confirming the Naas form with Bambino Fever but she’s working well and seems to be improving with every week that goes by.

Nick Scholfield, trainer of St Irene
She’s in good form and deserves a crack at this. She won her Listed race last time and would appreciate better ground, so hopefully the rain stays away. We’re fully aware this is a red-hot race and she’ll need a career best.

Max Comley, trainer of Manganese
We’d been targeting the Fred Winter but were balloted out, which was a shame as we thought she’d have run a big race in that. This race we get ten pounds for being a four-year-old, which will help, and we’re hoping she can run a big race.

Dan Skelton, trainer of Mille Et Une Vies
I think she is a talented mare and I see a big future for her. She has done lots of schooling over British-style hurdles.

Read more Raceday Intel . . .

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The expert verdict on the Stayers’ Hurdle: we asked some top judges what’s going to happen in Thursday’s big race 

‘He’s so well you couldn’t leave him behind’ – Can Jonbon end festival hoodoo in Ryanair showdown with Fact To File?  

‘She’s one of our best chances of the week’ – Irish title rivals Gordon Elliott and Willie Mullins go toe-to-toe in the Mares’ Hurdle  

Course veterans to the fore – all you need to know to help you unpick the three big handicaps on day three of the Cheltenham Festival 

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