A HORSE named after Leeds star Kalvin Phillips defied massive odds of 190-1 to surge home and win from absolutely nowhere.
Yorkshire Pirlo bolted up under the guidance of exciting young jockey Laura Pearson.
But it looked anything like being a win for the horse that finished sixth and ninth in his two previous runs after he completely messed up the start.
The 3-1 shot before the race immediately plummeted to 190-1 on the in-running Betfair exchange market after a nightmare in the stalls.
Slowly away and racing in last, totally detached from the rest, it looked like the Phillip-Makin trained two-year-old had zero chance.
But apprentice jockey Pearson is the rider with the golden touch at the moment.
And she managed to get a response from her ride 2f from the end of the Class 5 6f sprint at Southwell.
By 1f out the seemingly impossible looked likely as Yorkshire Pirlo hit top stride and won comfortably in the end, netting his owners a cool £3,400.
Fans watching at home were absolutely floored by the finish – which was Yorkshire Pirlo’s first ever win.
One said: “How on earth has Yorkshire Pirlo just won then at Southwell?”
Another tweeted: “How on earth did this get up?!
“Having looked completely out of things on the turn in for home, Yorkshire Pirlo and @Laurapearson_ arrive from another part of Nottinghamshire to save the day at @Southwell_Races.”
One happy punter wrote: “How on earth did Yorkshire Pirlo win that???? What a ride from Laura Pearson.”
The win was 19-year-old Pearson’s sixth from her last 11 rides.
And she even pipped Hollie Doyle – now second-favourite for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award – down into second place.
Pearson said of Yorkshire Pirlo: “He was a little monkey out the gates but a lot of horses wanted to go forward and they got racing very early, which worked in my favour.
“Everybody has told me the best thing to do in races is keep a cool head and I try to do that.
“I went up the inside and he ran on lovely to win comfortably in the end.”
Yorkshire Pirlo is the latest in a long line of horses to be named after footballers.
Although more than their fair share are named after Elland Road stars.
Martin and Iris Wainwright who run Highbank Stud have had Pablo Hernandez, Radebe, Bielsa, Bremner and Reviette, named after the legendary Don Revie.
Yorkshire Pirlo is owned by C Wood and DJ’s Roofing, and is their only horse.
FREE BETS GET OVER £2,000 IN SIGN UP OFFERS HERE
Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to SE. 18+. T&Cs apply. Begambleaware.org
Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:
- Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
- Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
- Never chases their losses
- Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
- Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
- Gamble Aware – www.begambleaware.org
