A FREAK 999-1 winner landed punters a £14,000 payday after coming from absolutely nowhere to win easily.
Bookies had totally written off the chance of Invictus Machin nearing the end of the 2m1f maiden hurdle at Down Royal on Saturday.
Seemingly languishing in mid-pack, the Gavin Cromwell-trained four-year-old looked well and truly beaten.
The gelding’s odds drifted to the biggest maximum odds of 1000 on the Betfair exchange – 999-1 in normal sportsbook terms.
Whether it was luck or judgement, a total of £14 was matched on Invictus Machin at that enormous price.
Those who laid the horse – in other words, backed it not to win – would have watched in sheer horror as Keith Donoghue found more on the apparent no-hoper.
One by one the three leaders, 66-1 The Wallpark, 4-9 fav Foxfire Glow and 13-2 Beer With The Boys ran out of steam.
Invictus Machin, who was sent off 12-1, barely broke a sweat though as he scythed through them with ease.
Donoghue hardly got to work on his mount as he powered home, winning comfortably in the end.
It was a dream for those who backed the JP McManus-owned horse in-running, with even just £1 on at those odds returning £1,000 in all – £999 profit.
So what’s next for him, could the big spring festivals be a target?
Cromwell was coy afterwards and said: “That was a nice performance from Invictus Machin.
“He worked well at home and we weren’t sure coming here with Gordon’s horse being so fancied.
“I would have been very disappointed if he didn’t run a good solid race.
“He’s a Coastal Path [sire] and a fine stamp of a horse, and will be a lovely horse next year.”
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