Barricane was sent off 4-1 for a 3m1f handicap hurdle at Huntingdon on Thursday.
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Stuck out the back and making no ground on the leaders, the Olly Murphy-trained runner hit around 330-1 on the in-running markets and looked a totally forlorn hope.
But 10lb claimer Lewis Saunders knew all his mount had to do was pass a couple of rivals and he would be away.
Saunders showed maturity beyond his years to eek more and more out of the nine-year-old gelding – who remained a good 12 lengths behind the leaders three hurdles from home.
But once he got past one he got past another… and another.
Soon he was up by the leaders two flights from home, led after the last and won stlyishly going away.
Barricane had been so far behind at points that he was out of camera shot.
And the stunned commentator said as he crossed the line: “What an enigma – from last to first.”
Racing expert Steve Jones said on Racing TV: “He must be camera-shy because as soon as the camera was off him he ran on.
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“Then he appeared on the scene and you’ve got to be impressed with his attitude… for about a fifth of the race.
“But it’s seriously good from the jockey to get that horse home.”
Saunders explained afterwards: “I just couldn’t get him going but I kept nudging him along.
“I knew he’d come alive in the final couple of hurdles but when he’s at the back on his own he’s just like that.
“I knew they went too fast up front! But in the end just riding a winner is a dream come true.
“As soon as you pass a horse he goes ‘all right I like this’ and he keeps going.”
Punters couldn’t believe what they have seen.
One said they were so sure the horse had no chance they had switched off – only to find they had backed a winner.
While another was of the opinion Saunders’ effort was the ‘ride of the millennium!’.
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