Calls for all bets to be VOIDED as BHA issue apology and launch probe after Willie Mullins horse is given wrong weight

3 months ago 24

PUNTERS have been dealt an almighty blow after it came to light that the British Horseracing Authority had given a star Willie Mullins horse the wrong weight.

There were calls for all bets on Saturday’s race to be voided after the situation came to light with awesome mare Lossiemouth.

The BHA originally listed Willie Mullins’ Triumph Hurdle winner as carrying 11st 3lbs in the Grade 2 Unibet Hurdle worth more than £70,000 to the winner.

But it turns out she is meant to carry only 11st after the BHA incorrectly applied a penalty at the weights stage.

The debacle means punters would have backed Lossiemouth – who is 8-11 fav at the time of writing – on incorrect information supplied by the sport’s governing body.

Or used her weight as reason to back another horse in the ante-post markets.

A BHA spokesperson said: “Due to an error at the weights stage, we can confirm an incorrect penalty was added to Lossiemouth in the 3.00 at Cheltenham tomorrow.

“A weight amendment has been published and she will now carry 11st. We apologise to anyone affected by this error.”

Respected punter and Betfair contributer Tony Calvin clocked the mistake.

He said there was an argument for all bets on the race to be voided and new markets re-opened with the correct weights.

Another punter suggested people should be given the option of voiding bets if they wanted to, saying: “The weight she was due to carry would surely have played a part in a decision to back something else?”

According to Calvin, Lossiemouth was 10-11 fav before the error was rectified.

But she was smashed into 8-11 once it became clear she would only carry 11st, 1lb less than nearest market rival Love Envoi.

And a whopping 10lbs less than top-weight Rubaud for Paul Nicholls.

Tom Byrne, head of racing and betting at the BHA, wrote on X: “An unfortunate error, for which we apologise and are continuing to investigate, however it has now been updated so that Lossiemouth will rightly carry the correct weight of 11-0 tomorrow @CheltenhamRaces.”