Punter celebrates huge £441,913 payout from a 50p each-way Lucky 31

One William Hill punter enjoyed the best possible start to the new turf season by landing over £440,000 from a £31 stake in an audacious multiple bet.

The 50p each-way Lucky 31 returned £441,913 with Astral Beau’s win in the Doncaster Mile securing the monster payout where all five of the punter’s selections obliged.

William Hill spokesperson Lee Phelps said: “It’s certainly been a brilliant Saturday for one of our customers, whose 50p each-way Lucky 31 won them over £440,000.

“All five of the selections in the bet won, including Migration at 18-1 in the highlight of the day, the Lincoln at Doncaster, and after their final pick, Astral Beau, won well in the next race they were celebrating taking home £441,913.”

The winning bet

Foxes Tales (2.05 Kempton) 4-1 WON
Bear Force One (2.40 Kempton) 20-1 WON
Vadream (3.00 Doncaster) 10-1 WON
Migration (3.35 Doncaster) 18-1 WON
Astral Beau (4.10 Doncaster) 40-1 (45p R4) WON

Foxes Tales got the ball rolling on the all-weather at Kempton when justifying 5-2 favouritism in the Listed Magnolia Stakes. The punter got 4-1 about the Andrew Balding-trained winner, by far the shortest price of any of his five winning picks.

Bear Force One in the mile handicap which followed was an inspired selection, considering Roger Teal’s gelding had been winless in six starts since scoring on turf at Newbury in August 2021.

Bear Force One, though, was 3lb below that last winning mark and bettered his third-placed effort at the track when last seen to score by half a length under Lewis Edmunds. The starting price was 16-1, but again the punter got slightly more value at 20-1.

Job done on the all-weather, but it would be down to the headline Saturday meeting at Doncaster on the turf to bring the outlandish bet home. Given her preference for testing conditions and that trainer Charlie Fellowes had primed her with this Listed event solely in mind, Vadream was gettable in the Cammidge Trophy. 

She duly provided the punter with another double-figure priced winner at 10-1. You could make a case for Vadream but Migration, by contrast, was a trends-busting winner of the day’s feature event the Lincoln.

No topweight had won since 2004 and Migration became the first horse older than six to take the competitive handicap since 1998. That left Astral Beau, who had never contested a grade higher than Class 4 handicaps, as the punter’s final leg.

Pam Sly’s filly took the step up in grade with aplomb, leaving the punter with little to worry about when cruising home by four lengths under Rob Hornby.

Read these next:

'He's made his money for the year, and for next year as well!' - topweight Migration defies history to land Lincoln  

'What a story' - poignant Brocklesby win for rising star Loughnane on horse named after rugby legend Doddie Weir  

Tom Segal and Paul Kealy had 10-1 and 9-1 Saturday winners - get their tips and much more with 50% off Members' Club Ultimate Monthly

Do you want £200+ of free bets? Racing Post have got the best offers, all in one place. Visit racingpost.com/freebets to find out more.