PUNTERS are fearing the worst after a huge Willie Mullins Cheltenham favourite was hammered in the betting for a different race.
Owner Bryan Drew said on the Nick Luck podcast it was only ’70-30′ Final Demand runs in the Turners Novices’ Hurdle next Wednesday.
The Mullins-trained unbeaten superstar was last seen hacking up by 13 lengths in a Dublin Racing Festival Grade 1 last month.
Gordon Elliott’s Wingmen was a sorry second in the prestigious Nathaniel Lacy Hurdle at Leopardstown over 2m6f.
Many thought Final Demand was destined for the Albert Bartlett over 3m at Cheltenham on Friday week.
But Mullins doesn’t always target that race and said Final Demand would stick to the Turners.
However, Drew said the sunny forecast for Cheltenham and possible drying ground conditions could see them make a dramatic last-minute switch to the longer race – ruining so many ante-post punts.
He said: “He’s in the Turners and the Bartlett, we’ll probably leave him in both until the last minute to keep all doors open given the drying ground.
“But the plan would be to run in the Turners.
“Clearly one has to give enormous respect to The New Lion, particularly on drying ground, and that will come into the thinking a little bit.
“But he’ll be left in both until the last minute.”
Such a move would be a disaster for punters, who have been sticking Final Demand in their multiples as one of Mullins’ bankers.
One said in response to a potential switch: “This will kill me.”
Final Demand was backed into as short as 6-5 for the Albert Bartlett after Drew’s comments – and was a big mover into 4.1 favourite on the Betfair Exchange.
His market rivals there would be Henry de Bromhead’s impressive mare The Big Westerner at 4-1 and Wingmen at a best-price 11-1.
Meanwhile, JP McManus’ recent purchase The New Lion saw more support for the Turners, where he is now as short as 13-8.
Mullins’ odds-on Michael O’Sullivan Supreme Novices’ Hurdle fav Kopek Des Bordes has also come in for that race.
Punters are speculating that, if Final Demand moves up in trip, then Kopek Des Bordes could fill the void in the Turners, with Mullins relying mainly on Salvator Mundi in the Supreme.
And that’s not the only possible big-money move.
Punters are also banking on Mullins’ Lossiemouth switching to the Mares’ Hurdle – after what happened with awesome mare Brighterdaysahead.