IT’S squeaky bum time for the bookies as the ‘Fergie Double’ threatens to cost them a small fortune at the Cheltenham Festival today.
With odds-on favourites such as Constitution Hill, Majborough, Ballyburn and Jonbon all failing to deliver – punters are turning their attention elsewhere for Day Three.
And Protektorat, running in the Ryanair Chase, has the bookies sweating.
The 10-year-old, trained by Dan Skelton and owned by none other than Manchester United icon Sir Alex Ferguson, is one half of a 12/1 double that’s already attracting plenty of bets.
Hoping to pull off a comeback worthy of Fergie’s finest, Protektorat is eyeing back-to-back Ryanair Chase victories and is currently 6/1 to do the business.
“He’s been unbelievable since the turn of the year and was absolutely brilliant at Windsor,” trainer Dan Skelton said.
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“I’m so happy with how he’s been, and the fact he’s in such good form at 10-years-old is just a testament to his toughness really.
“I’m looking forward to running him and I think he’ll put up a good defence. Obviously it’s a warm race, but I can’t have him better.”
Elsewhere, Manchester United welcome Spanish opponents Real Sociedad to Old Trafford with the score locked at 1-1.
They are currently 10/11 to win tonight’s encounter in 90 minutes and progress to the quarter-finals in the Europa League.
That Protektorat/United double, with Ladbrokes, currently pays just over 12/1, and the bookies are expecting plenty of Red Devils to get behind it.
Alex Apati of Ladbrokes said: “It’s been a solid start to the week for bookies, but Thursday is all about Fergie Time and a Protektorat/Man United double could well cost us a few quid.”
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