Punters stunned as clear leader stops to a trot on the run-in and throws away victory at Sandown

Gloire D'Athon pulled off the unlikeliest of victories in the 2m4f novice handicap chase after runner-up Harper's Brook hit a low of 1.01 on the Betfair Exchange.

More than £13,500 was matched on Harper's Brook, who appeared to have the race at his mercy when stretching clear under Kielan Woods.

However, the seven-year-old practically came to a halt before being beaten four and a half lengths by Gloire D'Athon, who traded at 1,000 (999-1).

Gloire D'Athon scored at the track in December for Sarah Humphrey, who has surpassed her personal-best prize-money return this campaign.

"He was a bit nervous and lacked confidence when we first bought him but he's flourished in a small yard," said assistant trainer and husband Tony Humphrey.

"His confidence has built with every race. He went hurdling at first but has won four out of five over fences and the only one he didn't win he was second in."

Woods said: "I just got to the front too soon. It's my fault, I did at Carlisle one day as well. I hit the front too soon and he pulled up to a trot. He'd follow any horse for as long as you'd want him to and it won't happen again."

How the incident unfolded

Harper's Brook was well clear on the way up the Sandown hill and hit 1.01 in-running on the Betfair ExchangeCredit: Racing TV

But the Ben Pauling-trained seven-year-old slowed right up despite the urgings of Kielan Woods, allowing Gloire D'Athon to catch upCredit: Racing TV

Harper's Brook gets going again but it's too late and he finishes well beatenCredit: Racing TV

Hewick a Sandown hero again

Globetrotting has become Shark Hanlon's philosophy with stable star Hewick and after making light work of Sandown's £80,000 Grade 2 bet365 Oaksey Chase the American Grand National winner will be back on his travels.

Quite where that will be the Shark would not say. All he would reveal at this stage is that there is indeed a plan.

"His season's only just starting because he's a summer horse. I have something planned but I'm not going to say it yet," he said in the Sandown winner's enclosure. "You'll see it in time, but I have a plan for him in roughly six weeks' time and it won't be in England or Ireland.

"He'll also go back to America, but we might go somewhere else with him. Have horse, will travel."

The most obvious options are France, Japan or perhaps back to America as a warm-up before he tries to defend his American Grand National title in October. The United States may be favourite with those trying to decipher Shark's cryptic clues given the firmer ground Hewick craves is almost a given.

O'Hanlon was just delighted to get back on track after Hewick's horror fall two out in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. "I wanted to go for the Bet365, but with the fall he got at Cheltenham I thought it was the right thing to do for the horse to give him a confidence boost," he said.

"He always comes off the bridle, and he came off it at Cheltenham, but Jordan [Gainford] said three strides before the fence he came back on. The one thing we know is he'd have come up the hill. I don't know if he'd have been good enough to beat Willie's [Galopin Des Champs] but he'd have been knocking on the door for second.

"The most important thing is he's as good as ever. I feel sorry for Jordan as he's after making the horse for us, but he'll be back. Until he does we have a great sub [Rachael Blackmore]."

Record haul for Nicholls

Paul Nicholls broke his own record for prize-money in a season, edging £74 past his 2007-08 mark with a total of £3,646,585.

On the track the highlight for the now 14-time champion trainer was Knappers Hill's victory in the Grade 2 bet365 Select Hurdle.

"We were a bit worried about the ground," he said after the neck success. "The only time he’s disappointed was here last year on soft ground. We rode him differently, took our time, hoped they wouldn’t go too quick and wanted to see if he’d get the trip and he did. He’ll go chasing next season and things like the Rising Stars at Wincanton over two and a half in the autumn will be right up his street."

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