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Bookies set for €300m bonanza in biggest ever Cheltenham Festival

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AROUND €300million is expected to be gambled on the Cheltenham Festival this week as punters prepare for a betting bonanza.

The sum will exchange hands between bookies and racing fans over the course of the four-day meeting, which kicks off on Tuesday.

And around €125million of that figure is expected to be gambled by Irish backers at the Gloucester event.

Ladbrokes spokeswoman Nicola Mcgeady said: “Every year the Cheltenham Festival gets bigger and bigger and this year another staggering amount of money is expected to change hands.”

Meanwhile, thirsty racegoers will guzzle 265,000 pints of Guinness and 120,000 bottles of wine at the track.

It was recently named the dearest racecourse in the UK to buy a pint of the black stuff, with one costing £6 (€6.76). Around 10,000 Irish punters are

set to descend on Prestbury Park. Those heading to the Cotswolds may wrap up well as the weather forecast is for rain – and more rain.

Irish trainers recorded 14 wins from the 28 races in 2019 and are fancied for more success this year.

Hot favourites such as Envoi Allen, Benie Des Dieux, Tiger Roll and Appreciate It are expected to go close for the

Emerald Isle, with top handlers including Willie Mullins, Gordon Elliott and Henry De Bromhead leading the charge.

But Ladbrokes admit Lostintranslation winning the Gold Cup would be the worst result of the week for the firm.

Wins for Envoi Allen in the Ballymore, Samcro in the Marsh Novices’ Chase, Appreciate It in the Champion Bumper and Goshen in the Triumph Hurdle would also be a “nightmare” for the firm.

Irish horses are already making their way to Cheltenham, with Elliott tweeting a photo of a truck leaving his Co Meath yard yesterday afternoon.

It will be Ruby Walsh’s first time as a retired jockey, but top pilots like Paul Townend, Rachael Blackmore and Davy Russell know all about riding winners.

Off-track, Laura Whitmore is among those Djing in The Park – a new area with bars, street food and a ferris wheel.

news@irishmirror.ie