Newcastle Drama As 799/1 In Running Mountain Hawk Wins

Newcastle on Saturday threw up a huge shock in the 12:55 Class 4 Novice Hurdle over 2 miles as Mountain Hawk went to 799/1 in running and got up to win the race at the death.

He had to go past two horses who went extremely short in the running up to the line with both of them going shorter than 1/20 in the closing stages of the contest.

Point Break who went on to finish third, was eight lengths clear when coming up the last fence and was backed with stakes adding up to £1,400 at 1.05 only to smash into the hurdle and barely finish the race.

This then handed the lead to the second finishing James Ewart trained For Three who looked to be travelling like a dream and was sure to land the Novice Hurdle and was backed in different stakes in the exchange which equalled out to £12,749.45 at the smallest possible odds available of 1.01 only to come up short.

The clever punters of the day stayed away from these short prices and put some money on the eventual winner, that from coming up to the last never looked like getting up at all.

However, at 13 lengths off the leader going to the final flight he had £2.79 matched on the Exchange at 799/1 and he managed to finish stronger than the rest to bob his head home first and eventually win nicely.

(Credit Racing Post) Winning jockey Jamie Hamilton said:"They went a good gallop and he wasn't going early doors.

"Turning in I knew I hadn't gone for everything and I thought he could fly home and be second or third. But once I got stuck into him he picked up well."

Jockey Steven Fox on second place For Three said: "They went very quick and I held him up long enough to give him a chance. I got to the leader and thought we'd got it but he was robbed by the other horse."

Finally third placed jockey Ross Chapman on Point Break was clear if not jumping the last badly, he added: He didn't jump it too badly but he lost his back end on landing. It took him a while to get going again, it stopped him in his tracks. But that's racing.

(Credit At The Races)