'We're running from Willie Mullins' - bookmakers share their weekend fears

The Dublin Racing Festival headlines a brilliant weekend of racing, with live action broadcast from Britain and Ireland on ITV on both Saturday and Sunday.

It is undoubtedly two days for racing fans to savour, but find out who the bookmakers fear most this weekend . . .

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Betfair: 'Vauban has been well punted'

Any combination of a Willie Mullins multiple would have the trading floor gasping for air.

On Saturday, Vauban has been well punted against Fil Dor and is into 11-8 (from 7-2), while Mullins also runs Blue Lord (11-8 from 13-8) in the Irish Arkle and Facile Vega (4-5) in the bumper. At nearly 10-1 that treble would be a body blow on day one.

The handicaps will ultimately determine whether we win or lose as we'll be paying additional places in them and getting the fancied horses beat would be a significant boost.
Barry Orr

Coral: 'No surprise if Frodon is popular'

Favourite backers enjoyed terrific success in the Grade 1 races at last year's Dublin Racing Festival and they'll be hoping for more of the same this time around with 'shorties' Honeysuckle, Galopin Des Champs and Chacun Pour Soi all likely to feature in plenty of multiples over the two days.

Frodon and Bryony Frost could prove popular, particularly with punters based in BritainCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

In our favour is that some of the other feature races have greater depth to them, with Blue Lord and Hollow Games facing decent opposition in their respective contests, and Vauban and Fil Dor hard to split in the Spring Juvenile Hurdle.

Hardest of all to spilt are the front two in the Irish Gold Cup betting, with Frodon joining Kemboy at the head of the market, although it would be no surprise to see the former, representing Paul Nicholls and Bryony Frost, prove the more popular with punters in Britain at least.

At Sandown, despite her concerns over the ground, Venetia Williams remains in red-hot form and L'Homme Presse is sure to be the best-backed runner in the Scilly Isles, while the enigmatic Goshen still has his fans and would be a popular winner of the Contenders Hurdle.
Dave Stevens

Ladbrokes: 'Panic will set in if Willie wins'

There's one man we're running from this weekend, and that's Willie Mullins. As everyone knows he's a force to be reckoned with and is the undisputed king of the Dublin Racing Festival.

If Whatdeawant or Bronn wins the opener on Saturday, panic will set in as he then has five of the remaining six favourites on the card.
Nicola McGeady

Paddy Power: 'McShee the main liability'

From an ante-post point of view, we've seen plenty of support for Good Time Jonny in the Paddy Power Handicap Hurdle and The Big Doyen in the bumper, while Party Central was well backed for the Paddy Mullins Mares Handicap Hurdle after she was pulled out of the Dawn Run, being supported from 8-1 down to below 3-1.

Cask Mate has been well backed in the Liffey Handicap Hurdle (due to the Racing Post's David Jennings putting it up on Upping The Ante) from 16-1 to 6-1.

Master McShee: a popular alternative to Galopin Des ChampsCredit: David Keane (racingpost.com/photos)

But the main liability we have for the weekend from an ante-post perspective is Master McShee in the Ladbrokes Novice Chase. He's already a Grade 1 winner and punters have latched on to him as the each-way alternative to Galopin Des Champs.

While these are the main liabilities we have at the ante-post stage, they'll be dwarfed by what we'll carry in the day-of-race books.
Paul Binfield

William Hill: 'Cask Mate a significant loser'

Willie Mullins has dominated this fixture in recent times and, while there's not one particular horse we fear, there'll be plenty of punters putting his horses in multiple bets, so if he has four or more winners on a day it will be costly.

Cask Mate has been well backed for the Liffey Handicap Hurdle on Sunday (from 14-1 into 6-1) and would be a significant loser in our ante-post book.
Rupert Adams

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