Gambler Paul Dean is just one win away from winning just over half a million pounds. Not a bad return for a £5 bet is it? £511,225 will be the return if Envoi Allen wins the opening race at Cheltenham on Thursday March 18.
It’s unlikely that they will get much sleep tonight. The day is bound to drag until Envoi Allen lines up in the Marsh Novices’ Chase. At least the final leg of his accumulator is in the 1.20 which is the first race on day three of the Cheltenham Festival.
Envoi Allen is the odds on favourite to win the race and a possible Cheltenham Gold Cup winner in the future. The runner is trained by Henry De Bromhead, who has already had winners at the festival this week.
This heavily fancied runner has won all 11 of his races under rules and loves it at Cheltenham. Two years ago, Envoi Allen won the Champion Bumper. The following year, he returned to Cheltenham and was victorious in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle.
This season has seen Envoi Allen going over fences and it’s all gone extremely well. His Beginners Chase was easily won and that was followed up by success in the Grade 1 BARONERACING.COM Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse last November. His most recent win was the Grade 3 Sky Bet Killiney Novice Chase at Punchestown in January.
In the past, Envoi Allen has been trained by Gordon Elliott. However, he’s currently suspended, so it’s De Bromhead who is in charge of this runner now.
Paul has had a long time to wait for this bet to reach this stage. It was nine months ago that he put the bet on. It started with two runners at Royal Ascot. On June 19, he backed Golden Horde to win the Commonwealth Cup. That won and got his bet off to a great start as it had odds of 12/1. Another big winner followed the day after as Hello Youmzain landed the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot. This time, the winner had odds of 10/1.
That would have been a pretty good double, but this punter had much more ambitious plans. He also had a long wait because the next runner in this five-timer didn’t run until this Tuesday (March 16). His selection was Shishkin who romped home in the Arkle Chase. The selection was odds on but not for Paul. His bet had odds of 4/1 for the Irish winner. Then today, the fourth leg of his bet came up and what a winner it was. Bob Olinger was the favourite when winning the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle. However, his bet had odds of 25/1. Now he has just Envoi Allen, who is the odds-on favourite.
This amazing bet could be cashed out. Betfair spokesman Barry Orr said: ”He could take the cash out offer and sit back safe in the knowledge that regardless of what happens in the race he is £275,000 better off,” said Orr.
Then again, he can turn that offer down and hope and pray that his final selection is a winner. The Betfair spokesman added: ”Envoi Allen is 4-9 favourite so he may well stick and let the bet run.” Whatever his decision, it’s going to be a nervous but hopefully profitable time for Paul.
