JP McManus-owned horse's odds slashed for Cheltenham Festival after flurry of bets

The JP McManus-owned Corbetts Cross has seen his odds for the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival almost cut in half following a flurry of bets.

The Emmet Mullins’ trained seven-year-old has seen his odds reduced from 7/1 to 4/1 (NRNB) ahead of his scheduled run at Fairyhouse on Wednesday.

Corbetts Cross is currently the 4/7 favourite to win a three-mile chase at the Co Meath venue, where he is set to face three rivals in Velvet Elvis, Run Wild Fred and Eklat De Rire, after the track passed an inspection this morning.

Oddschecker reports that the booking of amateur jockey Derek O’Connor for Wednesday's race may have sparked this flurry of bets for the National Hunt Chase with it being available for amateur jockeys only.

Since Monday morning, punters on Oddschecker have been flocking to back Corbetts Cross in the National Hunt Chase, with 68% of all bets on the National Hunt Chase between Monday and Tuesday afternoon going on the seven-year-old to win at Prestbury Park.

The flurry of bets has seen Corbetts Cross’ odds shift from 7/1 to 4/1 with bookmakers offering Non-Runner No Bet for Cheltenham.

The current betting favourite for the race, Embassy Gardens, recently delivered a ten-length victory at Naas, which saw his price shift from 6/1 to 3/1.

Oddschecker’s Leon Blackman said: “After Emmet Mullins pulled Corbetts Cross out from racing over the weekend, punters have begun pre-empting a new destination at the Cheltenham Festival. Before this week, only 47.4% of bets placed on Corbetts Cross had backed him to run in the National Hunt Chase. However, since the start of this week, we’ve seen that figure rise to 91% of all bets placed.

"Following this influx of betting activity, bookmakers offering Non-Runner No Bet cut Corbetts Cross’ odds from 7/1 to 4/1 for the National Hunt Chase. That shift in odds has taken Emmet Mullins’ seven-year-old into second favourite for the race. Corbetts Cross will turn out for a 3m Handicap Chase at Fairyhouse on Wednesday, where a convincing performance could see those odds cut again.”