TRAINER Phil McEntee reckons his owners were calling him a ‘clueless mug’ – after he talked them out of a £70,000 winner.
McEntee was at Brighton to see 6-1 Porfin come out top in the starsports.co.uk 6f handicap with daughter Grace in the saddle.
"I've put everyone away, he's drifted from favourite to 7/1 and he's gone and won!"
Bitter-sweet victory for @philmcentee1
@MCYeeehaaa https://t.co/x8uncsulWO pic.twitter.com/YKzW20oyqK
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) August 5, 2022
But the well-liked trainer was wary of celebrating too much in the immediate aftermath as Matt Chapman caught up with him on Sky Sports Racing.
The trainer explained he had been telling owners at the start of the week that Porfin was ‘the biggest certainty’ he had ever trained.
And he told them – and specifically Porfin’s owner Trevor Johnson – that if ever they were going to put £10,000 on a horse, this was it.
But in the hours before the contest he did a total U-turn and told them not to back the runner as he thought a bug in his yard had played havoc with their chances.
Sure enough Porfin drifted markedly before the off and hit 7-1, but held on by more than a length to scoop £3,726 for victory.
A red-faced McEntee explained: “This is bittersweet, I’m not going to lie.
“I told everyone at the start of the week this horse is the biggest certainty I have ever trained.
“Then I came racing today and told everyone not to back my horses because I think there’s a bug, something’s not right.
“I told all my owners don’t back this horse. He’s drifted from favourite to 7-1 (highest price) and won.
“I told them yesterday if you’re ever going to have £10,000 on a horse, have it on Porfin.
“Went to the races yesterday, three [of my horses] were tailed off last, told them don’t have a dollar on this horse… and he’s gone and won.
“They’ll have listened to me and they won’t have had a pound on him.
“They’re all at home now laughing, thinking, ‘you mug’.
“Don’t listen to me, clueless!”
Had they not listened to McEntee and put £10,000 on the horse they’d be celebrating a profit to the tune of £60,000.
