A horse named Blowers made history in British horse racing by winning as the longest shot ever recorded. Trained by former Grand National champion Nigel Hawke, the five-year-old gelding had no previous notable performances.
Blowers, ridden by amateur jockey Ella Herbison, had disappointing races earlier in the year, finishing far behind in a Flat race and being pulled up during his hurdles debut at Chepstow. Despite starting at odds of 200-1, Blowers surprised everyone with a victory at Exeter in a maiden hurdle, with jockey James Best in the saddle.
Maintaining a front-running position, Blowers fended off the favorite, On The Bayou, to secure a victory by three-quarters of a length against the odds. The race commentator, Mike Cattermole, expressed astonishment at the unexpected outcome.
This win by Blowers surpassed a British record held since 1990 by Equinoctial, who won at 250-1. Notably, there have been two 300-1 winners in Ireland in recent years. Bookmaker Coral revealed that they received 82 bets on Blowers, with the largest bet being a £2 each-way single.
Describing the event as an early Christmas gift for the punters who backed Blowers, Coral’s John Hill highlighted the horse’s remarkable achievement in breaking a 35-year-old record. Nigel Hawke, Blowers’ trainer, commended the horse’s potential, noting his strength and the challenge of controlling him during races.
The stewards investigated Blowers’ sudden improvement in performance, with Hawke explaining that the horse’s better settling and a more prominent riding position contributed to the unexpected success.