'He can take a while to warm up' - Amoola Gold hits 999-1 in dramatic win

Amoola Gold came from an almost impossible position to win the Listed handicap chase at Ascot on Saturday under a late drive by jockey Bridget Andrews.

The eight-year-old, who was sent off at 12-1, hit 1000 in-running on the Betfair Exchange, with £4 traded, while £18,318 was traded at 1.01 on Monsieur Lecoq before he was agonisingly denied by a head.

The runner-up was a length and a half clear of the field approaching the final fence but was caught in the final strides by the fast-finishing Amoola Gold, who won the race last season for trainer Dan Skelton.

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"I sat down and watched back last year's race. He can take a while to warm up and I wanted to remind myself that I could be that far back and trust that he would come home strong," said Andrews.

"His jumping is fine but nothing flashy. When you really need him there's one there late on but I like to save that for when I need it. I was confident they'd gone hard enough that they would stop at some point. I thought I was beaten turning in but when he does hit top gear he sees the trip out. He's a proper two-miler."

Andrews also snatched victory at the death in January when she landed the Grade 2 Rossington Main Novices' Hurdle aboard Faivoir and was seen to good effect at this track aboard Robin Gold.

On the Jane Williams-trained runner-up Monsieur Lecoq, jockey Ciaran Gethings added: "He was tired and lonely. He's run an absolute blinder and I'm thrilled to bits with him. Over two miles on heavy ground he will win a good pot somewhere."

How it panned out

Amoola Gold (yellow silks, back right) has around ten lengths to make up on the leader

Amoola Gold stays on into fourth but has five lengths to make up on Monsieur Lecoq (right)

Amoola Gold jumps the last with several lengths still to make up

Amoola Gold begins his remarkable finishing effort after the last

Bridget Andrews's mount gets up in the final stride to deny Monsieur Lecoq

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