'I can't remember a festival like it' - bookmakers delighted as many Cheltenham bankers beaten across the four days

A festival that saw so many of the 'bankers' beaten led to a heavy victory for the bookmakers in their four-day battle with punters in the Cotswolds.

Just two of the seven odds-on favourites were successful over the four days, with defeat for so many of the horses who formed the cornerstone of accumulators and high-stakes bets meaning the scoreline was comprehensive.

The leading contenders in the big four championship races were beaten for just the second time since the four-day festival was created, with 2017 the only other occasion.

It started on Tuesday when Constitution Hill suffered a shock loss after falling at the fifth hurdle in the Champion Hurdle. Jonbon and Teahupoo finished second in the Queen Mother Champion Chase and Stayers' Hurdle on Wednesday and Thursday respectively, while Galopin Des Champs was denied a historic hat-trick by Inothewayurthinkin in the Gold Cup.

Kopek Des Bordes (Supreme) and Lossiemouth (Mares' Hurdle) were the only successful odds-on favourites across the week, and only a further seven winners justified their position as market leader, meaning favourites fared only slightly better than Great Britain over the four days.

It resulted in a difficult few days for punters, and Paddy Power spokesperson Paul Binfield described it as a "very problematic time" for those placing bets.

A riderless Constitution Hill heads up the Cheltenham hillCredit: Patrick McCann

He said: "It's been a real rollercoaster ride for bookies and punters, especially the latter who have had a very problematic time with a lot of short-priced favourites beaten.

"I've been doing this job for almost 20 years and I can't remember a festival where so many of the fancied horses were beat, so it's been a real tough ask for punters.

"It was hard doing preview nights before the festival on the big races as it was hard to look past the likes of Constitution Hill, Jonbon, Teahupoo and Galopin Des Champs, and unbelievably none of them prevailed. If you told someone that a week ago they'd have laughed in your face."

Reflecting on the four days of racing, he added: "We've seen some great action. The result didn't suit many people in the Champion Hurdle, but it was one of the most unbelievable races you'll ever see. It's the most dramatic race I've seen at Cheltenham since Annie Power had that fall in 2015."

William Hill's Lee Phelps added: “At the start of the week it would have been a dream to suggest we would get all four short-priced favourites beaten in the championship races, and doing so in the opening few days certainly set the tone for the week. Other than a four-race Willie Mullins blitz on Friday, punters never really got a sustained run of results."

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