Harry Redknapp missed out on seeing his horse win a big race at Cheltenham after a calendar mix-up.
The former Spurs and West Ham manager part-owns Back On The Lash, who took the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase.
Sent off at 6-1 in the betting, the Martin Keighley-trained runner battled on bravely to deny Deise Aba the first prize of just over £18,000. The winning margin after almost four miles of galloping and jumping over a variety of obstacles was three quarters of a length.
Back On The Lash’s team were thrilled with the battling display, his second triumph in the unique discipline at the track.
But David Maughan, one of Back On The Lash’s owners with Redknapp, said the footballing legend unfortunately couldn’t see the impressive performance live on Saturday.
“Harry is at a charity event today so he’s not here. He thought it was tomorrow, he got the wrong day so he is double booked!” he told Mirror Racing.
Back On The Lash’s jockey Sean Bowen made an exciting move to take the lead with four fences to cross . Turning for home, the pair were pursued closely by five opponents, including the 5-2 favourite Delta Work.
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However the joint top weight had no more to give as the front duo pulled clear – and Back On The Lash held on to delight his supporters.
Maughan only got involved with the nine-year-old chaser by chance, as his previous owner was moving abroad.
‘It is my first Cheltenham winner,” he said. “It’s absolutely brilliant, Sean (Bowen) gave him a great ride. It’s a special day. Back On The Lash came up for sale and Martin got several people involved in his yard to take a leg each and then Harry came in.
“He’s a fantastic horse, very stubborn. He likes to rule the roost even though he’s small.”
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Back On The Lash had been due to contest the cross country race at Cheltenham’s meeting in November, but not enough rain fell at the track for it to go ahead. Instead he took in a different race and local trainer Keighley had to be patient for the next opportunity.
“He’s tiny and you saw a couple of times today he lands quite steep as he’s so small, but he’s got loads of scope and he’s hard as nails,” he said.
“Coming into these cross country races just seems to have improved him, similar to (former stable star) Any Currency.
“He rocketed just because he took to the course so well and this horse has done the same.”
The race was part of the Trials Day card, Cheltenham’s final fixture before the Festival in March.
