The Cheltenham Festival is set to be a challenging period for bookmakers, particularly with the formidable combination of record-breaking trainer Willie Mullins and champion owner JP McManus. Mullins, who holds the title for the all-time leading trainer at the festival with 113 winners, has trained a remarkable ten wins twice within the last four years. This year, his top horse Might Park is owned by McManus, who has also made a name for himself by achieving 84 winners while wearing the iconic green and gold silks.

As the festival approaches, anticipation is building among punters and bookies alike, especially following Mullins's track record at the event which includes being the leading trainer in five of the last seven years. In 2025 alone, he scored six winners, raising expectations for this year's races. Bookmakers are particularly anxious about the first race, where Mullins’s Might Park comes into play, as many punters will likely place multiple bets, banking on Mullins's others horses such as Kopek Des Bordes and Lossiemouth to secure wins.

The potential for a 'bloodbath' at betting shops looms large, with fears that the winning streaks from these favorites could lead to hefty payouts for bookmakers dependent on punters winning multipliers on their bets. This has resulted in nervous anticipation from the betting industry, who are all too aware of Mullins's dominance each year and the risk that they may face significant losses if the trend continues during the four-day festival.