'It's a good job it wasn't Cheltenham' - 14 straight favourites win across cards

Sky Bet avoided a "substantial" payout on an exceptional day for favourite backers on Wednesday, with a staggering 20 winning market leaders across the day's meetings in Britain and Ireland.

During the afternoon action, 14 favourites came in consecutively across the tracks, starting with Isolate's victory at 5-2 in the 2m4f handicap chase at Ludlow, where six of the seven races were won by market principals.

The remarkable sequence went up to Getastar's win at 2-1 in the 2m5f handicap chase at Sedgefield, where four favourites struck, while five market leaders scored at Fairyhouse, along with three at Fakenham and two at Kempton's evening fixture to make it 20 on the day for favourites.

Five favourites also went in at Fairyhouse on WednesdayCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Despite many bookmakers reporting the winning run not to have had a major effect on their day, Sky Bet reported they were a victory away from a hefty payout had 10-11 favourite Latino Fling landed the concluding 2m1f mares' handicap hurdle at Sedgefield.

Sky Bet's spokesperson Michael Shinners said: "Latino Fling losing in the last at Sedgefield has saved us a substantial payout, but in terms of a loss for a Wednesday, it's a substantial loss. There was a lot of money running on to that, it kind of saved us any further losses.

"We wouldn't want to lose as much money as that on an ordinary Wednesday. You wouldn't want a couple more days like that, and it's a good job it wasn't Cheltenham yet."

Wednesday results, replays and analysis

Read these next:

Appreciate It set to tackle Honeysuckle in Champion Hurdle without a prep run

'He was dynamite' – Barry Geraghty and Philip Hobbs hail retiring Defi Du Seuil

New Sky Bet customers can get £20 in free bets. New customers only. First single & e/w bet only. Odds of 1/1 or greater. 2 x £10 bet tokens. Free bet stakes not included in returns. Free bets exclude virtuals. Free bets are non-withdrawable. No free bet expiry. Eligibility restrictions. Further T&Cs apply. 18+. begambleaware.org.