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The Placepot is everyone’s favourite six-race bet when they arrive at the races, with the promise of massive pools and the potential for huge dividends.

When it comes to Cheltenham Festival, things are set to turn up a notch, with the daily pools estimated to reach a whopping £1,000,000!

For a small stake, and without finding a single winner all day, bettors could return incredible dividends if successfully navigating the six legs, as showcased by these five big days for the Placepot…

5. Friday 15th March 2019 – £11,701.20 dividend

By the time the Triumph Hurdle had been run on the final day of the 2019 Festival, around 90% of the Placepot pool had been eliminated. Pentland Hills, sent off £19.40, sixth-favourite, was followed home by Coeur Sublime and Gardens Of Babylon in a big torpedo leg.

Pentland Hills

Two favourites hitting the frame in the County Hurdle and the Albert Bartlett gave those left in the pool some respite, but come Gold Cup time, favourite followers were in trouble. None of the top five most picked in the blue riband hit the frame, with Native River carrying 19% of the pool claiming fourth.

The Foxhunter, once again provided a bit of breathing room as favourite Hazel Hill was followed home by the popular Shantou Flyer.

Come the final leg, the Grand Annual, all but one of the runners had units riding on them. The only unsupported horse, Croco Bay provided a big shock and helped 87.36 units land a dividend of £11,701.20.

4. Friday 16th March 2018 – £32,088.70 dividend

Rewind 12 months and it’s only late on that the Placepot dividend started to look very interesting.

Although the day started with an upset in the Triumph Hurdle with none of the three most popular horses placing. But with favourite Santini hitting the frame in the Albert Bartlett and Gold Cup 1-2 Native River and Might Bite the two biggest selections, things were looking good, yet unremarkable, for Placepot players.

Native River Gold

Step forward, the Foxhunter. Pacha Du Polder had been the focus of the race in 2017 with Victoria Pendleton on board, but with Harriet Tucker on board, Paul Nicholls’ gelding seemed to slip under the radar. His victory, chased home by £89.10 chance Top Wood and Barrel Of Laughs (£19.60) gave the pool a battering.

There was a return to the norm in the sixth and final leg with three fancied runners hitting the frame, but by then the damage to the pool had been done.

3. Friday 19th March 2010 – £41,288.40 dividend

The final day of the 2010 Festival started off in inauspicious fashion with the three best-backed horses in the Triumph Hurdle all finishing in the first four.

But it was half an hour later that the biggest hit to the Placepot that day came. Not one of the 10-most picked horses in the County Hurdle were able to make the frame, knocking out a huge portion of the remaining pool.

That continued in the Albert Bartlett with none of the nine most popular horses placing, and only one of the four most-picked horses finishing the race.

Although well-fancied horses hit the frame later in the day as Imperial Commander saw off Denman to land the Gold Cup, the damage had already been done.

Imperial Commander

2. Friday 14th March 2014 – £44,616.30 dividend

We all know Tiger Roll as a Grand National hero, but six years ago, his win in the Triumph Hurdle might not have been the biggest talking point in the race. Not only did the top three in the betting fail to make the frame, but Ruby Walsh’s Festival was brought to a premature end after a fall from Abyssial.

The following two races had nothing much in the way of drama to report for the Placepot, but come the Gold Cup, the pool was shaken up a bit.

Favourite and defending champion Bob’s Worth as well as second-favourite Silviniaco Conti were unable to finish in the first three, as Lord Windermere landed a shock Gold Cup. That result knocked out 88% of the units that had remained.

The remaining two legs saw the units left standing dwindle, before just 21.20 came out the other side to claim a dividend of over £44,000!

Lord Windermere Cheltenham

1. Tuesday 12th March 2019 – £91,283.90 dividend

Every race on the opening day of 2019’s Festival saw over 70% of the pool knocked out, with two particular highlights for those 10.50 units who somehow made it through to the end.

First was the Ultima where, with the pool already down to just 3% of it’s starting pool, none of the four most popular horses could hit the frame. That result took 87% of the remaining outs, but more carnage was to come.

As Buveur D’Air chased a third consecutive Champion Hurdle, the market suggested that the two mares Laurina and Apples Jade were his biggest dangers.

In reality it was the hurdles, as Nicky Henderson’s former champ crashed out at the third flight, with both mares disappointing. With the market principals out of the frame a huge 95% of the already dwindling pool was eliminated.

Espoir D'Allen

An unplaced favourite in the Mares Hurdle and with winner A Plus Tard the only fancied horse finishing in the places in the subsequent handicap meant just 10.50 units successfully made it through.

Those winners included one on-course bettor whose single £2 Placepot line netted him a cool £182,567.80!

With an estimated £1 million in the Tote Placepot pools every day of the Cheltenham Festival, and the opportunity for a massive reward for a small stake, make sure the Placepot is your first bet every day at Prestbury Park.


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