Goodwood has produced arguably the most remarkable result in British horse racing history after the shortest-priced favourite ever seen was dramatically turned over.
Najidi Storm, sent off at the extraordinary odds of 1/33, was beaten in a three-horse race by the 10/1 shot Wreck It Ronnie on Tuesday afternoon.
The winning horse is part-owned by Manchester City and England footballer Phil Foden, adding a celebrity dimension to an already sensational story.
The result eclipses a famous 2023 upset at Ripon, where 1/25 favourite Doom was beaten in a two-horse race by Karmology, which had previously held the record.
Najidi Storm appeared to be mounting a challenge coming into the final furlong, looking well-positioned to justify its status as a near-certainty.
However, Wreck It Ronnie found another gear deep into the race under jockey Kieren Fox, pulling clear to complete one of the biggest shocks the sport has ever witnessed.
The result has sent shockwaves through the horse racing community and will be talked about for years to come by punters and industry professionals alike.
Ordinarily, bookmakers celebrate when heavily backed favourites get turned over, but that was not the case for all firms following Tuesday’s race at Goodwood.
Both Paddy Power and BOYLE Sports, two of the most prominent bookmakers with Irish connections, reported a net loss as a result of the outcome.
BOYLE Sports’ Brian O’Keeffe explained that punters were “keen to look elsewhere” because of just how short a price Najidi Storm was, meaning liabilities shifted accordingly.
Paddy Power spokesman Paul Binfield told the Racing Post: “Racing history has been made in today’s opener on the South Downs, but winner Wreck It Ronnie was a loser in the book with punters taking a chance against the very short-priced favourite.”
The fact that even a losing favourite caused a deficit for bookmakers illustrates just how unusual the pricing was in this historic three-horse contest.
This episode serves as a reminder that no outcome in horse racing can ever truly be taken for granted, regardless of how short the odds may appear on paper.
