Odds slashed on unknown Willie Mullins bought by famous owners for £155,000 Betfair Hurdle

10 months ago 52

AN unknown Willie Mullins horse bought by famous owners has been smashed into favouritism for Saturday’s Betfair Hurdle.

The Closutton trainer swept the board with eight Grade 1 wins at last weekend’s Dublin Racing Festival.

And it’s another £155,000 pot he is chasing this weekend in Betfair’s big day at Newbury.

Mullins has entered three horses in all for the Premier Handicap but punters have latched onto Ocastle Des Mottes.

The five-year-old gelding won two of his past three races over hurdles in France and amassed almost £100,000 in prize money.

He switched to new trainer Mullins in October last year for new owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, whose runners go in the double green silks.

Ocastle Des Mottes was double-digit odds for the Betfair Hurdle last week but is now into 5-1 with the sponsors.

Mullins’ only other entries Alvaniy and Onlyamatteroftime are as big as 40-1 and 20-1 respectively.

But speaking of the significant market move, Betfair’s Barry Orr said: “The Betfair Hurdle is a fiendishly tricky race to unpick but punters have found Ocastle Des Mottes.”

If the horse is successful then it would well and truly sound the alarm bells for Britain ahead of next month’s Cheltenham Festival.

Mullins dominates the ante-post markets, with star novice hurdler Ballyburn currently favourite for the Supreme and Baring Bingham.

He also has odds-on chances in the shape of Lossiemouth in the Mares’ Hurdle, El Fabiolo in the Champion Chase and Galopin Des Champs in the Gold Cup.

Meanwhile, Shishkin is set to make his return on Saturday and has been made 1-2 fav for the Denman Chase.

Nicky Henderson’s chaser was last seen unseating when clear in the King George on Boxing Day.