Irish fans rushing to bet on 'dead cert' Willie Mullins Cheltenham accumulator
Cheltenham tips and preview nights are in full swing and the experts have landed on three 'certs' for Willie Mullins on Day 1
Irish horse racing fans are jumping on a Willie Mullins treble on Day 1 of the Cheltenham Festival next week.
Thousands of Irish people will make the trip to Cheltenham next week for the national hunt season centrepiece with thousands more watching on TV.
It appears that three Willie Mullins-trained horses have emerged as the 'dead cert' treble for those interested in a bet on Day 1 on Tuesday.
The Carlow handler invariably gets off to a good start at the festival and won three races on Day 1 last year. Experts on the Cheltenham preview circuit think he will have at least that number again this time around.
First up on Tuesday in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle is Kopek Des Bordes who shot to the top of the betting market for this race after a 13-length win at Leopardstown last month. He clocked a faster time that stablemate Ballyburn who won the same Leopardstown race in 2024 before claiming Cheltenham victory, albeit in the Turner's Novices' Hurdle over a slightly longer trip. Kopek Des Bordes is so far unbeaten in three national hunt races, including two outings over hurdles.
The second Willie Mullins 'good thing' is in the very next race on Tuesday, the Arkle Novices' Chase where Majborough is an odds-on favourite after a number of sparkling performances over the larger obstacles. He is said to be the apple of his trainer's eye in Closutton and could well be the horse of the week. He has won his two starts over fences comfortably and won last year's Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham. He looks very hard to beat on form and is the talk of the Cheltenham preview circuit.
The last horse up in the Day 1 treble is Lossiemouth in the Mare's Hurdle. Campaigned as a Champion Hurdle horse, Lossiemouth won this same race 12 months ago and on ratings, should demolish this field again. The mare was last seen having her colours lowered by a resurgent Constitution Hill who is now the odds-on favourite for the Champion Hurdle. Gordon Elliott's mare Brighterdaysahead is lining up to take him on and that company was enough to turn Lossiemouth's owner Rich Ricci off the bigger race.
A treble bet on Kopek Des Bordes, Majborough and Lossiemouth all to win pays at 3/1, meaning a €25 bet would return €100 in the event of a win.
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