Brighton owner Tony Bloom backed for huge Cheltenham winner as his Willie Mullins-trained horse is smashed by punters

LEGENDARY punter and Brighton owner Tony Bloom is being tipped to land a massive Cheltenham winner.

His Willie Mullins-trained horse Bunting has been backed off the boards by punters.

Alamy

Brighton boss Tony Bloom, centre, has been backed for more Cheltenham glory with his Willie Mullins-trained horse[/caption]

Mullins’ No1 jockey Paul Townend has been booked to ride the five-year-old in Wednesday’s fiercely competitive Coral Cup.

Legendary ex-jockey Ruby Walsh said Bunting was the best handicapped horse in the awesome Mullins camp.

And sure enough the money has poured in since it was confirmed Townend, who has a brilliant record in Festival handicaps, will take the ride.

Bunting had been hovering around the 16-1 mark before declarations for Wednesday were made on Monday morning.

But he has plummeted to as short as 5-1 second-favourite for his ultra shrewd owner, who made his money betting and at the poker table.

Bunting’s sole win came on debut for Mullins when he won a maiden hurdle at Limerick in Ireland all the way back on Boxing Day 2023.

He was a respectable seventh in last year’s Triumph Hurdle won by stablemate Majborough, who’s red-hot odds-on fav for the Arkle on day one.

Bunting has been campaigned against some decent opposition since then and brings with him the ‘could be anything’ tag punters love.

To scoop the pot though he will have to get the better of 25 other runners and, in particular, Dan Skelton’s 5-1 fav Be Aware.

But Bunting has managed to come ninth, third and second in three runs this year, one of which was on the Flat.

Bunting will be stepping up in trip to 2m5f but it’s clear Bloom, Mullins and Townend have no concerns about the trip.

The furthest he has previously run in 2m1f – the distance he covered on his most recent run at Clonmel in January.

Victory in the Coral Cup is worth a shade under £62,000 – a relative drop in the ocean for billionaire Bloom.

He has been called the ‘cleverest man to ever place a bet‘ and walked away from Cheltenham two years ago a whopping £1.2million better off.

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