THIS amazing ride even had losing punters applauding in awe after a jockey ‘stitched up’ rivals with his brilliant tactic.
No one could have predicted what Mickael Barzalona had in store during a race at Saint-Cloud in France on Wednesday.
The racecourse was best known for being the site of Christophe Soumillon’s infamous elbow of Rossa Ryan last month.
But it hit the headlines for all the right reasons after Barzalona showed exceptional instinct and bravery to pull off this remarkable victory.
Sitting at the back of the pack on 8-1 shot Normfliegerin, the Derby-winning jockey, 31, thought better of what everyone else was doing with a mile to go.
He separated from the peloton and went way out wide on the course, being followed by one other horse.
The move looked a disastrous one initially as he looked to fall behind the other runners who stuck to inner.
However, the horse soon bolted ahead and looked to be travelling really, really well.
It was then that Barzalona, famed for his incredible last-to-first ride in the 2011 Derby, cut back across the other side of the track.
Tracked by just one other horse, the other seven runners went the opposite side of the course to Barzalona and Normfliegerin.
But Barzalona’s tactics proved an inspired move as he ran out an easy winner of the Listed contest, pocketing £22,000 for first.
One viewer said the jockey had ‘stitched up’ his rivals with his ballsy mid-race move.
While others said he had clearly done his homework by walking the track before to find out where the best ground was.
The praise for Barzalona’s ride was universal as racing fans put it up there with the best this year.
One said: “As good as you’ll see.”
Another punter who backed a different horse said: “Even though I lost the race, what talent!”
A fellow Twitter user wrote: “What a fun ride! I have never seen this technique in all the rides I have watched horse racing!”
One punter called the ride a ‘gem’ while another posted: “Some kind of ride this.”
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