Absolute Metal sparked celebrations at Exeter when the Herefordshire-trained 200-1 shot grew to become certainly one of British racing’s longest-priced winners.
Stan Sheppard steered house Tom Lacey’s five-year-old novice hurdler to win the second race of Sunday’s card.
“I used to be shocked he received however I wasn’t shocked he stepped ahead,” Lacey instructed BBC Hereford & Worcester.
Equinoctial received at Kelso in November 1990 at odds of 250-1 and stays the longest-odds winner in British racing.
Absolute Metal joins the unique ranks of these to have received at 200-1, together with Lights of Broadway at Taunton in 2012 and Dandy Flame at Wolverhampton in 2016.
In 2022 Sawbuck grew to become the longest-priced winner within the historical past of soar racing with victory at odds of 300-1 at Irish monitor Punchestown.
Absolute Metal’s win was a outstanding distinction to his type in his first two runs.
He was a disappointing final – however in no way disgraced – when he made his monitor debut at Market Rasen on 7 December, Sheppard driving him at 17-2.
He then flopped when operating for the primary time over hurdles at Chepstow three weeks later at 200-1, earlier than being reunited with jockey Sheppard at Exeter on the identical odds.
“He was purchased as an unbroken three-year-old in Eire,” stated Lacey. “We then broke him in, put him away for the spring and summer time – and he ran completely acceptably at Market Rasen however Chepstow was an entire failure.
“In his first run over hurdles he was very sluggish over the primary couple and he was then on the again foot.
“So I stated to [jockey] Stan ‘look, simply get him out of the gate, trip him aggressively and let’s examine the place we’re with him’ – and nothing handed him.”
