'It was a split-second thing - I couldn't believe what I was seeing'

Betfair's in-running market has seen some huge sums traded and lost after the impossible somehow became reality. In a new series called Room 1.01, we recall some of racing's most expensive defeats.

This week's subject: Stick To The Plan

The horse

Stick To The Plan, trained by Dan Skelton, ran with some credit in three opening runs, posting a peak RPR of 101 when fifth at Haydock on his hurdling debut before finishing fourth at Warwick two starts later.

He made his handicap debut at Perth to cap off his 2016-17 campaign, drawing comfortably clear to win under Harry Skelton after being held up for most of the race.

Raised 8lb for that dominant performance, his run at Southwell was to be his seasonal reappearance. Sent off the 7-4 favourite for his return to novice company, the market expected him to make a successful return under Bridget Andrews, then claiming 3lb.

The race

There were only five runners and it did not immediately have the makings of a memorable contest as 150-1 outsider Brown Revel led in the early stages at nothing more than a modest gallop.

The quintet were well grouped early with Andrews settling Stick To The Plan towards the inner at the rear of the field, although with a circuit to go the gelding had edged closer to new leader Nemean Lion.

With Brown Revel well beaten and the efforts of The Real Snoopy and Ringmoylan petering out on the turn for home, Andrews began to get to work on Stick To The Plan. He soon reeled in and passed Nemean Lion between the final two hurdles.

He jumped the last cleanly, although Andrews briefly lost her right iron. She regained it quickly and the partnership forged on towards what looked to be a routine conclusion to a rather routine race.

They pulled five lengths of Nemean Lion, but suddenly Andrews lost her right iron again and soon hit the floor within touching distance of the winning post. It was a gift of a win for Nemean Lion and a heartbreaking defeat for those connected to Stick To The Plan.

In the stewards' report published after the race, Andrews reported when she began riding a finish, Stick To The Plan had lugged right while under a right-hand drive, causing her to lose her balance and be unseated.

Stick To The Plan was matched in running at the basement price of 1.01 on Betfair for more than £50,000.

Stick To The Plan (green colours) races on the rail in lastCredit: Sky Sports Racing

Bridget Andrews saves ground throughout the journey on her strong-travelling mountCredit: Sky Sports Racing

The pair take over between the final two flights, jumping the last clear of Nemean LionCredit: Sky Sports Racing

Andrews loses her right iron over the last, however, and becomes unbalanced close homeCredit: Sky Sports Racing

In agonising fashion, Andrews is unshipped from favourite Stick To The Plan on the run-inCredit: Sky Sports Racing

4.20 Southwell: full result and race replay

The in-running comments

Stick To The Plan

Settled tracking leaders, not fluent 2nd and 3rd, went 2nd 2 out, soon ridden to lead, 5 lengths ahead when rider lost right iron last, regained it and going fine until lost it again and suddenly fell off 20yds from finish

Nemean Lion

Taken down early, soon pressing leader, led 6th, driven 2 out, headed and easily outpaced before last, no chance when dramatically left clear close home

What they say

Tim Peters, Southwell commentator

I was doing the victory call and was about to wax lyrical about Dan Skelton as he was on a great run of form. You just can't legislate for something like that happening.

It was like slow motion, I've seen the jockey go off at the end and it was just a split-second thing – I couldn't believe what I was seeing. You can tell when you listen to the call I was taken aback.

Bridget Andrews: 'She's a really good jockey and I just really felt for her'Credit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

I listen back to most of my calls and I really didn't like the way I finished that call off, because I made reference to the punters being disappointed. I would like to have shown more sympathy for Bridget [Andrews] at the time. It was a quick reaction to something I didn't expect to happen.

She's a really good jockey and I just really felt for her – you can't have anything other than sympathy for her. I think she knows herself whatever happened that day was one of those things. I would describe the whole thing as freakish.

What happened next

Stick To The Plan headed to Cheltenham three weeks later for a competitive Pertemps series qualifier and finished a respectable fifth.

His next start saw him dropped in grade at Market Rasen, but he was unable to take advantage of that opportunity and finished second behind a runaway winner.

Another respectable effort followed up in grade at Kempton and he was sent off favourite for a Cheltenham handicap on his penultimate start of the season, finishing a three-length seventh.

His final start would be at Bangor a month later, where he unfortunately went wrong on chasing debut.

Read more from our Room 1.01 series:

Scrafton: 'He tried to stop for a pint in the stand!' – how he spurned Kelso success

Whistledown: 'I did feel really sorry for Mick and Rose – they were such unlucky losers'

Tofino Bay: the day Patrick Mullins hailed a 'fantastic taxi' but still won at Cheltenham

Zarkandar: 'We left nothing out there' – how Reve De Sivola snatched dramatic Long Walk win

Minellacelebration: 'It's not like he fell in a hole or anything' – the horse beaten at 1.01, twice

Cotai Glory: 'I got absolute howls of abuse walking back in – it was horrific'

Go West Young Man: 'He turned sharp left and over to the far rail – it was a proper handbrake turn'

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