£1 racehorse defies odds to become joint-biggest priced flat winner in Britain

The 200-1 outshot Astapor made racing history on Thursday by winning the 6f novice stakes at a meeting in Scotland.

The horse, ridden by Harry Russell, stunned crowds and rivals alike by coming in ahead of 8/15 favourite Parisiac at Hamilton Park Racecourse. It meant a glorious day for trainer John Riches, who had paid Mick Channon just £1 for the horse 12 months ago.

In fact, the purchase was essentially compensation for Channon, who had previously sold Riches a horse called Rain Cap. However, the latter was left seething when his new addition to his stable in Pilling, Lancashire, kept finishing last.

"I bought Rain Cap off Mick, who was another horse I bought off him who kept coming last. I rang him up and I said 'Mick, what the heck is this?', the next minute he said 'Sorry about that, I'll give you another one' and he gave me Astapor. I gave him a pound for him," he told the Racing Post.

The victory made Astapor the joint biggest-priced winner on the Flat in Britain since Racing Post records began, yielding a prize fund of £3,942 for Bridges. And afterwards, he revealed the secret formula behind the 12-race maiden's surprise success.

"When we put him on the gallops he was a bit fizzy. His head was all over the place and it took me forever to calm him down," he said. I got in his box, I gave him mints, he wouldn't accept them but then he eventually did.

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"Then I just talked to him and stroked him. People say it's all behind the ears but it's all about the eyes." He added: "It wasn't a shock as such as I knew if he could lie up with them he would keep going. Me and my wife were jumping all over and saying 'go on, go on!'

"I've always loved racing and racehorses and my mother did too. They're such lovely, marvellous looking animals. I have a strong bond with all of them." Astapor is the sixth Flat horse to win at odds of 200-1, joining 1822 St Leger winner Theodore, Beechy Bank, Dandy Flame, Intercessor and Runninwild.

The legendary Channon was happy to confirm Riches' version of events, joking that: "Next time I see him, the fish and chips are on him!"

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