PUNTERS watched £7,000 go up in flames after this 1-100 in-running horse and jockey suffered an ‘all-time horror’ at the Curragh.
In a charity race for amateur jockeys, Damien Moore looked for all the world like he was to achieve his dream of riding a winner at the iconic Irish track.
Noble Anthem, the 13-8 fav, could not have been travelling sweeter two furlongs from home in the 1m4f contest.
Having plummeted to the basement price of 1.01 (1-100) on the Betfair Exchange, some £7,000 was matched on the duo at that price.
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Victory looked totally assured as Moore, who runs his own VIP tipping service and has eight year’s experience riding, eased the Adrian Keatley-trained horse home.
But you need eyes in the back of your head as a jockey and, though he turned to check for rivals, it was clear Moore underestimated the rampaging late charge of Fair Damsel.
Backed from around 16s to 17-2 before the off, Martina Dempsey had gone right out to 1000 (999-1) on the Exchange during the run-in.
But she finished like an absolute rocket on trainer Richard Brabazon’s five-year-old mare.
Fair Damsel ate up the ground on the rail while Moore, who rode Noble Anthem to victory at Naas last month, couldn’t get any more out of his horse this time round.
Incredibly, £12 was matched on winner Fair Damsel at maximum odds, while the £7,000 on Noble Anthem – which looked like it simply couldn’t lose – went to the layers.
The end to the race lit up social media and sparked thousands of comments, with replays of the action reaching Australia.
There, popular site Punters labelled Moore’s ride an ‘all-time horror’.
One stunned punter here said they had ‘never seen anything like this’ while another moaned: “The state of that.”
Professional Group-1 winning jockey Robbie Dolan was one of those who came to the defence of Moore, though.
He wrote online: “The comments on this race are laughable, poor Damien would be devastated with what happened.
“No need to kick a man when he’s down.
“It’s a charity race with unlicenced jockeys, just because you have had a bet doesn’t give you the right to abuse someone… and if you think it does, you suck.”
Winning jockey Dempsey said the money for her horse paid off well.
She said: “It was amazing and I’m delighted with it all. I think there was some punting going on. It must have all worked and gave me a bit of luck.”
This was the second time in eight days that punters had got stung backing what they thought was a good thing.
Some £13,000 vanished after Joseph O’Brien’s Nurburgring crossed the line first at Killarney but was disqualified and placed second.
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