Racegoers at Beverley were left frustrated after two heavily-backed favourites threw away victory in bizarre and similar circumstances, causing chaos on the track and leaving punters empty-handed.
Urchin's Antics Derail Betting Hopes
Urchin, the 1-2 favourite for the three-runner Birch Flooring Novice Stakes over 1m 4f, played up before the start and unseated jockey Sam James. After just two furlongs, the horse hung left, dropping to last and failing to challenge Who's Lope (2-1), a stablemate of Betfred Derby contender Item at Andrew Balding's yard.
Assistant trainer Anna Lisa Balding commented: "It was unfortunate what happened to the other horse on the bend, but I think he will have learned a lot from that and hopefully he'll come on again. He kept finding more and he's run on to the line, so more exciting days ahead, I hope."
Bradbury's Wayward Finish
Less than an hour later, Bradbury, the 6-4 favourite in the 1m 2f ICS Cleaning Services Handicap, appeared set to reverse recent form with Vietnorm. However, Ed Bethell's trainee flashed his tail when in front and hung markedly left. The stewards reported: "Inside the final half a furlong Bradbury, placed second, hung quickly right-handed briefly inconveniencing the winner, Vietnorm. After viewing a recording of the incident, it was found that no riding offence was involved." Ryan Sexton added that Bradbury "hung both ways."
Vietnorm capitalised on the erratic rival's zig-zagging to win by a head. Jockey Mikey Sheehy, celebrating just his second British victory, said: "These four-runner races can be harder to run than any race. It was great for the lads, a great bunch of owners, and if he goes up to a mile and a half we'll see a better horse."
Only One Favourite Wins
The only successful favourite on the card was Matteo (11-10f), aided by the withdrawal of Arapaho Gold, who became upset in the stalls. The final race, the Platinum Queen Play Live After Racing Handicap, was won by 66-1 outsider Anficas Beauty.
Frustrated fans took to social media. One wrote: "How can it always be favs that something goes wrong twice today and both favs, should have won easy and they just happen to run off a true line for no reason and lose the race Bradbury and Urchin. No other horses today has this happened to, always the good horses, unreal." Another added: "Bradbury appears to be a bit of a naughty monkey."
