'I did say to Roger she would win the Guineas' - the pro punter who predicted Elmalka's triumph in November

The world gets stranger and stranger. If you happen to be Roger Varian or the professional punter who told him a Southwell winter novice winner would land the Qipco 1,000 Guineas, strange is wonderful.

Twenty-four hours on from the 2,000 Guineas being captured by a horse who began his racing career on the final Saturday of January, the 1,000 Guineas went to a 28-1 outsider with a similarly unusual story. 

Classic winners are not supposed to start out at Southwell, but Mike Spence was so dazzled by what he witnessed on November 24 that he got in touch with Varian and imparted the lovely news that the daughter of Kingman would triumph at Newmarket on May 5. Spence was right. So, too, was the racecourse bookmaker who won £80,000 by laying City Of Troy on Saturday and, for good measure, backed Notable Speech and Elmalka. Both men were delighted, and so was Varian, although he quite understandably gave the impression of being someone who had experienced the most fabulous surprise.