A horse named Blowers made history in British horse racing by winning as the longest shot ever. Trained by former Grand National-winning jockey Nigel Hawke, the five-year-old gelding had a lackluster track record prior to this remarkable victory.
Despite previous disappointing performances, including a 59-length defeat in a Flat race and being pulled up in his hurdles debut, Blowers defied the odds at Exeter. Ridden by jockey James Best for the first time, Blowers surprised everyone by leading from the front and fending off the favorite, On The Bayou, to clinch victory at incredibly high odds.
The astonishing win by Blowers broke a British racing record that had stood since 1990. Bookmaker Coral reported receiving 82 bets on the underdog, with the largest being a £2 each-way single bet.
Coral’s John Hill remarked, “Christmas came early for the 82 punters who backed Blowers at 300-1 odds. They clearly spotted something special in the horse that we, as bookmakers, overlooked. This victory by the Nigel Hawke-trained horse sets a new record in British racing history.”
Nigel Hawke expressed his pride in Blowers’ performance, highlighting the horse’s potential and the challenge of managing his energy. The stewards examined the unexpected improvement in Blowers’ form, accepting Hawke’s explanation that the horse’s better settling and tactical change in riding style contributed to the victory.