AN Essex punter has won a huge five-digit sum as the first day of Cheltenham returned.

The popular annual four-day festival was back yesterday, with betters up and down the country aiming to win big.

And one lucky person from Essex did just that.

A Chelmsford-based punter was one away from a huge pay-out, but still managed to win £50,000.

They had picked out the first six winners in a £20 each-way accumulator and a £1 Super Heinz, but sided with runner-up Embassy Gardens in the finale.

The online customer did manage to cash out the accumulator for £36,000 and scooped up more than £14,000 in multiple bets on his other wager.

Gazette: Racing - jockey Paul Townend on State Man comes home to win the Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy on day one of the 2024 Cheltenham FestivalRacing - jockey Paul Townend on State Man comes home to win the Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy on day one of the 2024 Cheltenham Festival (Image: David Davies for The Jockey Club/PA Wire)

Following day one, Paddy Power spokesman Paul Binfield said: “It’s not been an ideal start to the week for the bookies and we’ve lost on the day.

“But it was nice to see one shrewd punter from Essex trouser £50k and we’re happy that our customers have full wallets for the rest of the action with everything to play for.”

Bookmakers were left reeling on the ropes following a Willie Mullins blitz on day one of the festival.

Gaelic Warrior got the ball rolling for Mullins and Paul Townend when a well-backed 2-1 winner of the My Pension Expert Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase.

The pair then teamed up again for Unibet Champion Hurdle glory with State Man and a Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle success with Lossiemouth, both rated odds-on bankers by many punters.

Gazette: Busy - racegoers on day one of the 2024 Cheltenham FestivalBusy - racegoers on day one of the 2024 Cheltenham Festival (Image: David Davies for The Jockey Club/PA Wire)

There was little relief for the layers in the other races, with no outsiders popping up at big prices to save the day.

The Rachael Blackmore-ridden Slade Steel was popular with punters at 7-2 in the opening Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and even the sole British success was far from a surprise, with Kim Bailey’s Chianti Classico well supported at 6-1 in the Ultima Handicap Chase.

Joseph O’Brien’s Lark In The Mornin was the biggest-priced winner of the day at just 9-1 in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle and Corbetts Cross rounded things off in the Maureen Mullins National Hunt Chase when romping home by a wide margin at 15-8 for Emmet Mullins.