William Hill have reported a major gamble on Expresso Star for this year’s Lincoln. The bookmakers were forced to halve the price on John Gosden’s four year old from 10-1 to 5-1 clear favourite for the race following sustained support for the colt on Tuesday.

Expresso Star, who will carry 8st 11lb in the Lincoln, completed a hat-trick of wins on his final start of last season with a victory in a 1m 2f handicap Nottingham.

The sponsors have also reported money for the Michael Jarvis trained Fireside. The four year old, who finished last of 15 in last year’s Stan James 2000 Guineas, has been cut from 14-1 to 11-1 for the Doncaster contest.

Spokesman for the sponsors Tony Kenny commented “At around 10.30 the phones started to light up and the horse they were all looking for was Expresso Star in the Lincoln” He continued “They took all the prices from 10-1 down 5-1 and he now looks almost certain to go off favourite in the Lincoln”

William Hill Lincoln: (sponsors bet) 5-1 Expresso Star, 10-1 Charm School, 11-1 Fireside, 12-1 Huzzah, Swop, 14-1 Manham, 16-1 Extraterrestrial,  Flipdando, Zaahid, 20-1 Decameron, Spectait, Thebes, Zaahid,  25-1 Arabian Spirit, Benandonner, Bencoolen, Blythe Knight, Charlie Tipple, Cobo Bay, Docofthebay, Don’t Panic, Dunn'o, European Dream, Flowing Cape, Jack Junior, Lady Deauville, Manassas, Majuro, Mia's Boy, Pravda Street, Rock And Roll Kid, Royal Power, Smokey Oakey, The Osteopath, Whistledownwind, Willow Dancer,  33-1 Big Noise, Bolodenka, Dabbers Ridge, Dream Lodge, Eva’s Request, Flawed Genius,  Invincible Force, Kavachi, Kings Point, Kingsdale Orion, Medici Pearl, Minority Report, Mister Ross, Nanton, Opus Maximus, Osteopathic Remedy, Philario, Slugger O'Toole, The Fifth Member, Titan Triumph 40-1 BAR EW ¼ 1,2,3,4