Shock at Ripon as 1-25 shot Doom becomes British racing's joint shortest-priced loser

The aptly named Doom entered the history books by equalling the all-time record of a shortest-priced loser in Britain when she lost out at 1-25 in a match against Karmology at Ripon.

Doom was viewed as a certainty having gone within a head of future Oaks winner Soul Sister in a Doncaster maiden last October, while her comeback second at Newmarket last month was similarly packed full of promise.

But James Wigan's exceptionally bred daughter of Dubawi, who is out of Breeders' Cup-winning mare Dank, was subject to a major upset by an unraced runner, who was only entered by trainer Karl Burke because the track was close to home.

The William Haggas-trained Doom set out to make all under Tom Marquand and looked poised to win easily before Pierre-Louis Jamin reached for the whip and pushed along the 9-1 outsider Karmology. The newcomer rallied in the final half furlong to sprint ahead approaching the line.

Doom's losing SP of 1-25 was the same as Royal Forest at Ascot in 1948. Doom traded at a low of 1.01 on the Betfair Exchange, with £11,000 matched at the basement odds, while £407,000 of the £451,000 matched on the race was on the favourite.

Winning trainer Burke told Sky Sports Racing: "She's a nice filly but she's a work in progress – very much one for next year and over a longer trip.

"I really only entered her because it was on our doorstep and because there weren't many entries. I said to David and Yvonne [Blunt, owner-breeders] that there was no real fillies' races over a mile and a quarter we could go for until the end of the month and into October. We thought we'd give her a nice education.

"There were nine entries and I was following it on Sunday morning. I saw William had declared and I assumed all the other Newmarket trainers must've just had a late night. I couldn't believe there were only two runners but it worked out well."

Last year Broadspear was beaten at 1-16 in a mile novice at Chepstow, while 1-20 shots Tree Of Liberty and Triple Dip were upset in the last decade.

The Haggas-Marquand combination did enjoy some success in Yorkshire with Eastern Charm in the mile fillies' handicap, while the rider doubled up on Edwina Sheeran in the 1m4f handicap.

British racing's biggest shock: how it happened

Doom (blue cap) looks set to oblige at slim odds having kicked ahead with a furlong and a half to go under Tom Marquand, with Pierre-Louis Jamin hard at work on KarmologyCredit: Sky Sports Racing

But the outsider begins to rally and reels in Doom in the final half-furlongCredit: Sky Sports Racing

Karmology has moved ahead as they cross the line, with Doom becoming the shortest-priced loser in Britain since 1948Credit: Sky Sports Racing

Shortest-priced losers in Britain

Royal Forest, at 1-25 in 1948, was until now alone in holding the record for the shortest-priced loser in British racing history.

Trained by Noel Murless, Royal Forest was unbeaten in two races including the Coventry Stakes when starting at 1-25 for the Clarence House Stakes at Ascot on September 23, 1948. He had the class to win the race but was a temperamental colt and, ridden by Gordon Richards, was beaten half a length into second place by 33-1 shot Burpham.

Several great champions were among the previous record-holders by being beaten at odds of 1-20, including Jerry M (1909) and Bayardo (1910). The most recent 1-20 loser in Britain was Tree Of Liberty at Ludlow in 2018.

Further afield, Hong Kong champion Golden Sixty started at odds of 1-100 when beaten into second place in the Group 1 Stewards' Cup at Sha Tin in January last year.
John Randall

1-25 - Royal Forest (Ascot, 1948)
1-20 - Saucebox (Airdrie, 1855)
1-20 - Caller Ou (Liverpool, 1864)
1-20 - Kilwarlin (Derby, 1886)
1-20 - The Sinner (Manchester, 1887)
1-20 - Jerry M (Newbury, 1909)
1-20 - Bayardo (Goodwood, 1910)
1-20 - Prince Palatine (Newmarket, 1912)
1-20 - Glendower (Chepstow, 1947)
1-20 - Tree Of Liberty (Ludlow, 2018)
1-20 - Triple Dip (Lingfield, 2015)

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