PUNTERS have been celebrating after Paddy Power paid out a Cheltenham Festival bet five MONTHS early.
The bookie settled all bets on Jonbon to win the Arkle - even though the horse might not even run in the race.
One punter showed his £50 bet on Jonbon to win at 15-2 returning a tasty £425.
The Irish bookmaker said they decided to pay out after being blown away by videos of the Nicky Henderson-trained horse doing work.
Paddy Power spokesman Paul Binfield said: "Sometimes bookies love to overreact in their Cheltenham markets, but we couldn’t possibly be accused of such misdemeanours if racing fans watch these videos.
"It was nigh on impossible not to PAY OUT on Jonbon winning the Arkle after he floated and jumped those obstacles pretty well, in our opinion, ahead of his eagerly awaited chasing bow."
Grade 1-winning hurdler Jonbon is all set to make his chasing debut next week.
Owned by Irish billionaire and legendary racing figure JP McManus, Jonbon finished second to freak Constitution Hill in last year's Supreme.
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Smashed 22 lengths by his incredible stablemate, Jonbon was sent off evens for the Betway Top Novices' Hurdle at Aintree the following month.
He showed real guts and grit to see off El Fabiolo by a neck.
Punters won't have to rely on any of those fighting qualities to profit from him this year though, with Paddy paying out so early.
A statement from the bookies explaining their decision read: "Paddy Power has paid out on Jonbon for next year’s Sporting Life Arkle Chase after seeing a couple of videos of the Supreme runner-up and Top Novices’ Hurdle winner at Aintree schooling fairly well ahead of his chasing debut next week.
"Mick Fitzgerald posted a video on twitter of Jonbon 'floating up the gallop', while Paddy’s traders were even more impressed by a video from David Crosse of him jumping three fences behind the likes of Caribean Boy and Shishkin."
Jonbon is 7-2 favourite to win the Arkle next March, with Sir Gerhard second-fav at 6-1 along with El Fabiolo.
Dysart Dynamo and Appreciate It are both 10-1.
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