PUNTERS’ JOY...BLACK THURSDAY FOR US

DAY THREE of the Festival was Black Thursday for the bookmakers despite Eglantine Du Seuil’s shock win in the Dawn Run Mares’ Hurdle. The 50-1 shot was chased home by 66-1 and 40-1 chances as the Tote paid out a massive Trifecta dividend of almost £74,000. But by then bookmakers claimed the damage was done, with a set of results Coral estimated had cost the betting industry £50m. After a day when three favourites won and all but one of the seven winners

was returned at single-figure odds, Coral spokesman Dave Stevens said: ‘We thought Wednesday was bad, when favourites won the last four races, but that seemed like a good day compared to this afternoon. ‘Defi Du Seuil and Sire Du Berlais kept the winning run for favourites going in the opening two races, before the popular Bryony Frost gained her second Festival win on Frodon. That set the scene for Paisley Park’s victory in the Stayers’ Hurdle and then Siruh Du Lac and Lizzie Kelly got in on the act. ‘It was a day we’d like to forget but we’ll find it hard to.’