€578,000 and £152,000 payouts as Minella Indo seals acca heaven for two punters

Minella Indo's victory in the WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup at the Cheltenham Festival ensured two punters claimed life-changing payouts on Friday from multiple bets.

The eight-year-old's success proved decisive for a Paddy Power betting shop customer, who scooped €578,000 for a €20 accumulator, as well as David Jackson, who labelled his £152,000 return from an each-way four-fold and other singles, doubles and trebles "just ridiculous" after shouting home Henry de Bromhead's runner.

The wins came 24 hours after punter Paul Dean collected £250,000 after cashing out his £5 accumulator prior to the Marsh Novices' Chase, in which he had been set to side with faller Envoi Allen.

"It's just ridiculous, it really is," Jackson said. "I absolutely love Cheltenham and I love racing. I did these bets starting last March and I'm probably a £20 punter. That bet was a £1 each-way yankee that I'd split into doubles, trebles and a quadruple in case a horse got injured.

"I stood to win £152,000 but I put an in-running lay on the exchange that cost us ten grand, but I'm up almost £200,000 for the week with all the other horses connecting. If Envoi Allen had won there'd have been another £100,000 on top of it. It was just the perfect storm."

Punter wins £250,000 after cashing out amazing £5 acca involving Envoi Allen

Jackson, 40, an environmental advisor from Cumbria, admitted he had been nervous watching the finish to the Gold Cup with his mind flashing to Minella Indo's last-gasp defeat at last year's festival.

"I was absolutely terrified as I couldn't stop thinking of the RSA last year when he stopped up the hill, so even 50 yards from the line I wasn't sure he was going to win," he said. "I was proper out of my seat shouting with my wife and two kids. I'm still in shock."

Jackson, who said he owed his friend Richard Everett "at least a few beers" for introducing him to racing as a teenager, plans to take his family on holiday with his winnings as well as paying for a night out with the friends he would normally have attended Cheltenham with.

Jackson's wager contained two De Bromhead-trained horses, with Triumph Hurdle winner Quilixios (20-1) included alongside Minella Indo (14-1), National Hunt Chase winner Galvin (20-1) and Champion Bumper hero Sir Gerhard (16-1).

De Bromhead was influential for the Paddy Power punter as well with Honeysuckle (16-1), Bob Olinger (20-1), Put The Kettle On (8-1) and Minella Indo (8-1) providing a spectacular return on a €20 accumulator placed in a Shannon betting shop in December.

Paddy Power spokesman Paul Binfield said: "Hats off to this punter who must be Henry's biggest fan and over three months before the festival even started predicted these four results for a life-changer."

Read more on the Cheltenham Gold Cup . . .

Minella Indo leads home De Bromhead 1-2 as Irish dominate Gold Cup

Will Minella Indo retain his crown in 2022? Our experts have their say

How a dramatic Gold Cup unfolded at Cheltenham as the home team fail to fire

2021 Cheltenham Gold Cup: where your horse finished and who won

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