He Knows No Fear

 

For nearly three decades, the record for the longest-priced winner in British horse racing history was held by Equinoctial, who defied odds of 250/1 when winning the Grants Whisky Novices' Handicap Hurdle at Kelso on November 21, 1990. However, on August 13, 2020, that record finally fell when the three-year-old He Knows No Fear got up in the dying strides to win the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden, over a mile, at Leopardstown at odds of 300/1. Those interested in online gambling will have made a bundle if they bet on it. 

Bred, owned and trained by Luke Comer in Dunboyne, Co. Meath, the son of unheralded sire Mourayan had made his racecourse debut, under apprentice Gabi Bourke, in a similar race at Limerick the previous month, for which he started at odds of 250/1. On that occasion, he was slowly into his stride – in fact, 'left half a furlong', according to assistant trainer, Jim Gorman – and eventually trailed in twelfth of the fourteen runners, beaten 18 lengths.

However, on his second start, He Knows No Fear was ridden by Classic-winning jockey Chris Hayes. Unsurprisingly, He Knows No Fear still showed signs of inexperience when ridden two furlongs from home, but made rapid headway on the outside of the field from the furlong marker. He went second behind favourite Agitare – officially rated 98, but still a maiden after seven starts – inside the final hundred yards and stayed on strongly to lead on the line and win by a head.

Comer and his family have bred exclusively from Mourayan since he was exported back to Ireland from Australia in early 2015. Quoted in the 'Racing Post', Comer said, 'He Knows No Fear is a nice horse. The first race, you couldn't go by, because he got left in the stalls. I think Mourayan is not a bad sire at all.'

Graineyhill

 

On paper, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase, run over 2 miles 1½ furlongs at Fairyhouse on February 23, 2019, appeared to be a match between Dakota Moirette, trained by Gordon Elliott, and Aint Dunne Yet, trained by Noel Meade. Indeed, in the seven-runner contest, the bookmakers bet 1/2 Dakota Moirette, 7/2 Aint Dunne Yet and 12/1 bar the pair at the 'off'.

The market looked like proving an accurate guide to the outcome as, between the final two fences, Dakota Moirette and Aint Dunne Yet, who had led or disputed the lead from the start, drew a long way clear of their rivals. At that stage, commentator Tony O'Hehir said, 'They have it between them', and so they did. They approached the final fence neck-and-neck, but Dakota Moirette put down when asked to pick up by jockey Jack Kennedy and fell, directly in front of Aint Dunne Yet, whose jockey was unseated a few strides later.

Thankfully, both horses and both jockeys survived unscathed, but the untimely demise of the market leaders left the way clear for Graineyhill, a stable companion of Dakota Moirette, to saunter home by 8 lengths. Sent off at 12/1, the 8-year-old gelding had been ridden along in a moderate third place, 20 lengths or more behind the clear leaders, by Keith Donoghue after the second last fence and was making no impression when the race effectively fell into his lap. Officially described as 'lucky' by the 'Racing Post', his unlikely win was especially fortuitous for the fleet-fingered Betfair layers who matched him at 999/1, to the tune of £80, in-running.

150/1 shot causes big shock at Royal Ascot

 

Bubble Boy

Respected professional punter Alan Potts once said, 'The principle is that if as a result of your form analysis, you can make a good argument for supporting a longshot, then you must make the bet.The key factor is that no bet on such a horse can be expected to fulfil the same exacting criteria that you would apply to a 4/1 shot.' A case in point was Bubble Boy, a six-year-old gelding, trained by Brendan Powell, who won a beginners' chase at Fontwell, on his chasing debut, on January 24, 2005, at odds of 100/1.

Sired by the American-bred stallion Hubbly Bubbly – at that stage, already responsible for winning steeplechaser Cloudy Bays – Bubble Boy was bought by Powell, on behalf of the late John Plackett, from former weighing room colleague Adrian Maguire. According to Powell, Maguire told him 'not to waste our time over hurdles and to put him straight over fences'. Bubble Boy did run twice in National Hunt Flat Races for his new connections, while he didn't win, but finishing fifth of fifteen at Exeter in April, 2004 and tailed-off tenth of thirteen, after a 202-day break, at Plumpton the following November.

Obviously, when he lined up at Fontwell, his previous form was, at best, modest, but he was, at least, unexposed, which is not something that could be said for many of his six rivals. The decision to send him straight over fences was intriguing and, for a horse with sufficient size and scope to justify the idea that he would make a steeplechaser, his earlier defeats were entirely forgiveable. In any event, Bubble Boy made all the running under conditional jockey James Davies and, although all out at the finish, held on to beat 8/13 favourite Distant Thunder – who had been beaten on his four previous starts over fences – by half a length.