Mystery as huge Cheltenham Festival favourite becomes a massive drifter in the market
HUGE Cheltenham Festival favourite Theleme is an almighty drifter in the markets.
The former Stayers’ Hurdle favourite, who boasts impeccable form in France, is as big as 16 on the Betfair Exchange.
And there was a sea of red next to his name on Oddschecker, with Paddy Power and Betfair pushing him out to 12-1 from around 4-1.
It means punters who have already backed the horse could be onto a loser seven weeks before the Festival if they didn’t go non-runner, no bet.
Gordon Elliott’s pair Teahupoo and Irish Point are now the two at the top of the market.
Teahupoo – third in the race last year – is marginally fav at 7-2 while Irish Point, also owned by Robcour, is 4-1.
Of the £68,000 matched on the Stayers’ Hurdle, some £17,886 was on Theleme.
The French raider is trained by Arnaud Chaille-Chaille and recently bagged his fifth Grade 1 in November.
Sun Racing just last week caught up with connections of the superstar horse.
Theleme is owned by the family of late Leeds-based businessman Jim Gordon.
Bertrand Le Matayer, racing manager to the Gordons, confirmed then Cheltenham was ‘very much the plan’.
He said: “We gave him a break after his latest Grade 1 win and he looks fabulous, but there aren’t many good options for a prep so we will give him a run on the Flat first.
“We’ll give him a nice blow there, jump him over some English hurdles and then take him to Cheltenham.”
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