Tripleprint gamble has bookies quaking

Bookmakers Coral were running for cover today as ante-post backers piled their cash on Ilnamar to land Saturday`s Tripleprint Gold Cup.

Their initial offer of 13-2 was snapped up this morning and he was cut to 5-1 but a second wave of money this afternoon forced the same firm to cut Ilnamar`s odds for a second time to 4-1.

The Martin Pipe-trained five-year-old now shares favouritism with Coral along with his stable companion Shooting Light.

William Hill have also seen plenty of support for Ilnamar and have cut that horse to 9-2 from 5s, with Shooting Light out to 4-1 favourite from 7-2.

The champion trainer still has a total of seven horses left in Saturday`s big race, for which 22 were confirmed at yesterday`s five-day stage.

'This is another massive gamble and everyone from our shrewdest telephone client to the £1 punters in the shops have been backing Ilnamar. If money talks then McCoy is riding Ilnamar on Saturday,' said Coral spokesman Simon Clare.

'Martin Pipe is the Robin Hood of horseracing, robbing the bookies and giving the money to ordinary folk in betting shops', he added.

Mick Easterby`s Banker Count was also popular with Coral and is 9-2 from 11-2 while More Than A Stroll attracted good each-way support and is 10-1 from 16-1.

More Than A Stroll is likely to be the sole Irish runner in the £100,000 Tripleprint Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Saturday.

Following a 10lb rise in the weights at Monday`s five-day stage, More Than A Stroll is on 10st 3lb, which delighted his County Kildare-based trainer Arthur Moore.

'It is a lovely weight and if he gets in with that weight - I don`t know if Legal Right (top-weight on 12st) will run or not - we`ll be very happy,' he said.

More Than A Stroll will be having his first experience of Cheltenham and won the three-mile Kerry National Handicap Chase at Listowel in September under Conor O`Dwyer.

Moore confirmed that O`Dwyer would renew the partnership and added: 'I don`t think Cheltenham should be a problem for More Than A Stroll.

'There wouldn`t be much difference between three miles around Listowel or two mile five furlongs around Cheltenham - Listowel is a tight enough level track.

'He`s run pretty good races on fastish and soft ground so he seems pretty adaptable really.'

Moore has also left Lyreen Wonder (10st 12lb) in the race.

Last season Edward O`Grady became the first Irish-based trainer to lift the Tripleprint since the Tom Dreaper-trained Leap Frog was victorious in 1971 when Go Roger Go scored in the hands of Norman Williamson.

A decision regarding Dusk Duel`s participation is likely to be made after Nicky Henderson`s promising six-year-old chaser is schooled over fences tomorrow.

'Dusk Duel worked today and schools tomorrow. If everything goes well he would be a probable runner on Saturday,' said a spokeswoman for trainer Nicky Henderson.

Tripleprint Gold Cup:

Coral bet: 4-1 Shooting Light, Ilnamar (from 13-2), 9-2 Banker Count (from 11-2), 5-1 Foly Pleasant, 6-1 Dusk Duel, 9-1 Logician, 10-1 More Than A Stroll, 14-1 Young Spartacus, Whitenzo, 16-1 Gower Slave, Irbee, 20-1 bar.

William Hill bet: 4-1 Shooting Light (from 7-2), 9-2 Ilnamar (from 5-1), Banker Count, 5-1 Foly Pleasant, 7-1 Dusk Duel, 8-1 Logician, 14-1 Irbee, Legal Right, More Than A Stroll, Young Spartacus, 16-1 Gower-Slave, Whitenzo, 20-1 bar.

Tote bet: 4-1 Shooting Light, 9-2 Ilnamar, 5-1 Foly Pleasant, 11-2 Banker Count, 6-1 Dusk Duel, 8-1 Logician, 14-1 Gower-Slave, More Than A Stroll, 16-1 Irbee, Legal Right, Young Spartacus, 20-1 bar.