Bidding to make history: punter chases unprecedented Scoop6 haul

A punter who walks his dog around Cheltenham racecourse is in the hunt for an unprecedented haul of Scoop6 success at Haydock on Saturday when he bids for back-to-back wins of the bonus fund – having won the main bet for the last two weekends.

James Walsh has led a syndicate of about 40 people to a handsome total of around £425,000 in recent weeks.

What is the Scoop6?

He has a trip to Disneyland Paris before Christmas planned with wife Gemma and children Roisin and Quinlan, but is first taking aim at this weekend's bonus race which is Haydock's 13-runner Betfair Exchange Stayers' Handicap Hurdle (2.25).

The 38-year-old said: "I've been told by the Tote, which runs the Scoop6, there's a bit of history because no player has won the Scoop6, won the bonus, won the Scoop6 again the following weekend and then gone for the bonus.

"Two weekends ago we won £71,000 on the Scoop6 and then we won the bonus pot of £308,000 after Ga Law won the Paddy Power Gold Cup, but we played the Scoop6 again just in case the bonus rolled over and won it again, and we've got four selections for the bonus which is pretty magical stuff.

"Being a tipster myself, it's one for the CV, but it's an unbelievable amount of hard work. I do all the selections myself and use the Racing Post website for replays – I'm actually on it now studying for tomorrow."

Walsh, who lives five minutes away from Cheltenham, has been playing the Scoop6 for about three years – a period that has yielded three previous successful stabs at it.

He was joined at Cheltenham last week by fellow player Tony Causer and has one of his bonus selections locked in.

"I really like Good Risk At All for Sam Thomas in that Haydock race," added Walsh, who has run tipping websites JPW Racing Tipster and Tipsters Empire for the last 12 years.

"It's been bucketing down for the last couple of days and it'll be soft or heavy ground, while I think he could be well in off a mark of 143. I haven't, however, decided yet who the other three picks will be."

Saturday's Scoop6 races

2.55 Lingfield
3.30 Lingfield
3.35 Haydock
3.50 Ascot

Saturday's cards and betting

Saturday's race previews:

1.50 Haydock: 'He should be hard to beat' - Nicholls swerves L'Homme Presse test with Hitman

2.05 Ascot: Can Britain's top Gold Cup hope L'Homme Presse be troubled on his return?

2.25 Haydock: 'He goes there with every chance' - key quotes for the valuable stayers' hurdle

2.40 Ascot: 'We'd have concerns if it dried too much' - Nicky Henderson on Constitution Hill

3.00 Haydock: Betfair Chase: A Plus Tard will be fine on the ground says confident De Bromhead

3.15 Ascot: Who can capitalise in this handicap chase with Edwardstone ruled out?

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