All level as bookmakers and punters trade blows on day one of Cheltenham
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Tue 10 Mar 2026
The cheers of punters celebrating Lossiemouth’s superb Unibet Champion Hurdle success came at a cost to bookmakers before they rallied on a balanced opening day of the Cheltenham Festival.
Favourite-backers had the bookies paying out in the opening Supreme Novices’ Hurdle after Nicky Henderson’s Old Park Star claimed a length-and-a-half victory, which William Hill said cost them more than £1million.
“Old Park Star was roared home by Cheltenham punters, and we’ve been hit for six by the result,” spokesperson Lee Phelps said.
“He was a very well-backed favourite, and with our Epic Boost paying evens for any favourite to win on day one of the Festival, this has been a shocking result.
“In total, Old Park Star’s win has cost us north of £1million, and we’re already well on the back-foot this week.”
The layers hit back when Lulamba and Kopek Des Bordes both stumbled as Kargese produced a minor surprise in the Arkle.
JP McManus had two reasons to celebrate on his 75th birthday as Saratoga and Johnnywho were double-figure prices to land the McCoy Contractors Juvenile Handicap Hurdle and Trustmarque Ultima Handicap Chase respectively.
Lossiemouth’s brilliant six-and-a-half triumph stung the pockets of the bookmakers once again as the popular 7-5 favourite got her nose in front.
Despite Madara becoming the third favourite to enter the winner’s enclosure and Henderson finishing the first day with two winners, his second one, Holloway Queen, was a 12-1 chance in the finale.
It left things even heading into Ladies Day, where Majborough is odds-on for the Queen Mother Champion Chase among other short-priced favourites.
“Old Park Star won the battle for favouritism in the Supreme, and justified that support in the race itself, to get plenty of punters off to the best possible start, but Kargese ignored the script in the Arkle to see off her better-fancied rivals, Kopek Des Bordes and Lulamba,” said Coral’s David Stevens.
“Lossiemouth was the best-backed winner of the day when taking the Champion Hurdle in great style, while Madara was another popular scorer, but Johnnywho beating Jagwar was a big swing in our favour, and all in all we’re happy to end day one all square, with some really competitive action to come on day two.”
Sentiments were echoed by Ladbrokes, whose spokesperson Nicola McGeady said: “It was tug of war between bookies and punters on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival.
“While we managed to claw back some ground in the middle of the card, there was simply no hiding from the brilliance of Lossiemouth combined with Old Park Star’s opening win.
“We’ve survived day one, but the punters definitely have the wind in their sails.”
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