The eight winners of the Tote Scoop6 bet last Saturday are expected to team up in a bid to land the £1.5million bonus on offer this weekend.

Professional gambler Harry Findlay, owner of Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Denman, is responsible for two of the eight successful bets - one of which was a Newbury-based punter who staked just £2 - and is expecting to get in contact with the other winners in the next few days.

Findlay told the Racing Post: "I've heard that the £2 punter from Newbury wants to get in touch with me, and I fully expect to have all the winners joined up by the weekend."

Each of the successful tickets is worth £437,011 and, by joining together, the eight winners can cover eight different horses in the bonus race - which is expected to be the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury on Saturday - where they have to select the winner.

However, Tote spokesman Damian Walker is hopeful the bonus won't be won which would then allow successful Scoop6 punters this Saturday to have a chance of landing the £1,529,525 bonus the following weekend.

He said: "We know there is sure to be collusion between those holding the eight winning tickets, but that does not guarantee success.

"If the bonus isn't won this weekend then any of this Saturday's winning Scoop6 punters will get a fresh shot at the huge bonus pool."