Barclays banker Rich Ricci aiming for bonus with Fat Cat in the Hat at Cheltenham Festival

Banker Rich Ricci is aiming to earn himself a nice little bonus at the Chetenham races this week.

Mr Ricci, head of Barclays' investment arm, has no less than 11 runners entered, including the aptly named Fat Cat in the Hat, 12-1 third favourite to win Wednesday's Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle which carries a £75,000 first prize.

Bookies fear Mr Ricci, who always sports a trilby hat at the races, could single-handedly bring them crashing down.

Ladbrokes spokesman David Williams told the Mirror: "If Fat Cat in the Hat wins, we will sink into recession – all the bankers will be shovelling their bonuses on to the horse.

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"Mr Ricci has some fancied runners and it's an odds-on shot he will be celebrating a winner this week."

But the bankers aren't the only reason bookmakers are biting their fingernails.

They fear having to dish out £25million if four key results go the way of the punters.

My Tent or Yours, Simonsig, Hurricane Fly and Quevega are all red hot favourites over the week and experts are tipping many customers will combine them in bigger double or treble bets.

Coral spokesman David Stevens told The Sun: "If all these favourites win, we face the most expensive single day pay-out ever."

More than £250million is expected to gambled over the course of the week.