Blowers, trained by Nigel Hawke and ridden by James Best, became the first 300/1 winner in the modern era in Britain when scoring at Exeter on Thursday.
The son of Jack Hobbs was pulled-up on his debut under Rules earlier in the month, when sent off a similarly unconsidered 200/1 chance, but in gruelling conditions he toughed it out best to run out a three-quarter-length winner of the opening Pricedup.Bet Maiden Hurdle, seeing off 5/4 favourite On The Bayou in the process.
There have been a couple of 300/1 winners in Ireland but Equinoctial had set the previous UK record when defying monster odds of 250/1 at Kelso back in 1990, while Blowers' shock triumph comes just three days on from It's Bobsled Time winning at 250s at Naas on Monday.
Trainer Nigel Hawke said on Racing TV: "He's only had a couple of runs, he ran in a point at Larkhill and he's an absolute brute of a horse. His biggest problem is controlling him. Last time, poor Ella (Herbison, jockey), he just got a run on her really and he just did too much around Chepstow. It's great for Besty. The idea was that we've got to get this horse to settle.
"He's still a little bit green but has stayed on well. He just doesn't stop galloping. He's a Jack Hobbs horse, we've always though he was a nice horse if we could control him - that's why the 300/1. To be fair to everyone at the yard, they've done a great job and it is what it's all about."
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Discover Sporting Life Plus BenefitsBest said: "Ella Herbison was meant to ride him. I was on my way to riding out on the M5 at ten past six and a random, unknown Irish number rang me - sometimes I don't answer and I didn’t know who it was, it could be a scam or anything.
“It was Ella... 'Do you want to ride one in the first at Exeter?' Sadly, she got stuck in traffic and didn’t make her flight. Thank you to Ella for thinking of me and for Nigel and the owners to allow me to ride.
“He was keen the last day so Nigel said with the ground being testing, he was worried they might crawl. Plan-A was to drop in last but then we thought he might relax a bit better in front.
“He was jumping out to his left a bit so I stayed middle-to-outer down the back. He’s clearly handled the ground, got in a nice rhythm and thank you to all connections."
The rain continued to pour at Exeter and course officials decided to abandoned the card following the fifth race.
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