Mass heartbreak as punters say ‘I cannot believe what I’ve just seen’ after £16,000 nightmare
HEARTBROKEN punters watched in horror as £16,000 disintegrated at the final fence thanks to this blunder.
Hurlerontheditch had sauntered 20 lengths clear approaching the last in a handicap chase at Warwick.
David Bass had coaxed an expert round of jumping out of the Kim Bailey-trained seven-year-old.
And there was just one obstacle left to safely navigate and scoop the £5,500 pot until… it all literally came crashing down.
Bass actually cleared the jump well but the 11-4 fav knuckled on landing and unseated his rider in spectacular fashion.
That paved the way for 4-1 Rockinastorm to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat under Jonathan Burke.
While 12-1 Pachachuti hoovered up second after looking a complete no-hoper turning for home.
But the story of the race was Hurlerontheditch and his calamtious error.
Fortunately the horse was unharmed and the only hurt felt was by punters who had backed him.
Some £16,000 was matched on the horse at the lowest possible price of 1.01 on the Betfair Exchange, which equates to 1-100.
One said: “I cannot believe what I’ve just seen, to land the four out of four and a huge four-fold, race in Hurlerontheditch’s hands and he’s jumped the fence nicely and didn’t land it.
“Hope the horse and jockey is OK but that’s agonising.”
Another comment read: “Hurlerontheditch, no words. Jumped like an absolute stag the whole way round. Glad he seems to be OK but I feel robbed.”
One post read: “Deadset heartbreak there for Hurlerontheditch falling at the last.”
And another stunned bettor wrote: “Can’t believe Hurlerontheditch fell there. He was absolutely superb.”
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