Horse racing isn’t always about the favourites – and we’ve got the proof! Here are the biggest-priced winners in British and Irish horse racing history.
Biggest-Priced Winners
Beechy Bank
We start at Warwick where Beechy Bank won at monster odds of 200/1 in 2002. The win seemingly came from nowhere with Beechy Bank showing very little in four previous starts. In fact, the horse had finished 11th out of a field of 11 on its most recent outing.
But that didn’t deter two lucky punters from lumping Beechy Bank in a double with another horse. They are said to have banked up to £10,000 each from the upset.
Lights Of Broadway
Lights Of Broadway joined Beechy Bank as one of the biggest-priced winners in horse racing history with a 200/1 upset of his own at Taunton in 2012. Night Rose, the favourite, fell two fences from home, leaving the 200/1 shot a clear path to victory.
“I’m not a gambler,” said winning trainer Jo Hughes after the race. “But I did think she was capable of running well and the better ground and shorter trip have helped.”
And this really was a race for the outsiders as a 33/1 horse finished third and a 50/1 shot took second place.
Dandy Flame
Dandy Flame became our third and final member of the 200/1 club with a comfortable three-length victory at Wolverhampton in 2016. That was despite being labelled as “clueless” by the Racing Post after finishing dead last on his debut.
Owner and trainer Jose Santos said: “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a bet on him, but I should have had more.”
Equinoctial
Equinoctial became the biggest-priced winner in British and Irish racing history with a massive 250/1 success at Kelso in 1990.
It’s fair to say that the five-year-old went off as an absolute no-hoper. He had failed to finish in three of his four previous starts and was beaten by 62 lengths the one time he did manage to cross the line. But he went on to write himself into British racing history by becoming the first 250/1 winner.
“A lady who fancied Equinoctial asked me what I thought of its chances,” recalled Scottish racing reporter Gordon Brown for the Racing Post. “I said, ‘madam, if that wins I will streak around Kelso naked.’ I’m pretty sure she didn’t back it, and I spent the rest of the afternoon trying to avoid a woman swinging a handbag at me.”
He Knows No Fear
Equinoctial’s record had lasted almost 30 years before He Knows No Fear took the crown with an incredible 300/1 victory at Leopardstown in 2020. And he did so in dramatic style, chinning even money favourite Agitaire on the line to land the spoils.
Luke Comer’s horse failed to impress in his only previous race, finishing a disappointing 12th at Limerick. So it’s no surprise Ladbrokes Coral reported only 63 winning bets taken online with the biggest stake being £2.50 each-way.
However one very shrewd punter banked a tasty €36,000 from a €100 each-way bet at one of their shops in Dublin.
Biggest-Priced Grand National Winners
The biggest price for a winning horse at the Grand National is 100/1, a feat which has been achieved by five horses. Most recently, Mon Mome upset the odds at Aintree in 2009, joining Tipperary Tim (1928), Gregalach (1929), Caughoo (1947), and Foinavon (1967) in the 100/1 club.
BIG-PRICED WINNERS IN-RUNNING
Of course, horse racing punters can now get their bets on during the race. And this has produced some incredible winners in recent years.
Just last month we saw Paisley Park give his rivals a 20-length headstart before producing the most unlikely of comebacks.
The legendary horse was told to “give up” by commentator Ruby Walsh. But he was matched at a high of 48/1 on the Betfair Exchange before romping home at Cheltenham.
Similarly, £289 was matched on Buster Edwards at a maximum price of 999/1, before he went on to score at Haydock for trainer David Pipe in 2019.
“Mr Pipe said not to get there too soon!” said jockey Jack Tudor after one of the most jaw-dropping finishes to a horse race you’ll ever see.
Winners Wanted
We hope you enjoyed our list of the biggest-priced winners in horse racing history. It’s no secret that bookmakers routinely restrict winning customers or even shutdown their accounts entirely. So if you’re struggling to get your horse racing bets on, then look no further than BetConnect. We welcome winners and always will do. Join for free today.
