One-horse race: four other recent cases of the ultimate non-event

With Leicester set to host a walkover on Sunday, we look back at four other non-contests

Rebellious Spirit
Southwell January 10, 2008

He who is last shall be first – especially in the case of Rebellious Spirit.

Failing to live up to his name, Rebellious Spirit was left to canter home in his own time after obeying the rules, while his four opponents were withdrawn in farcical fashion.

The chaos began when Jord burst from the stalls a split second before the start. His rider, and three others, failed to respond to the false start flag and completed the full mile of the contest, albeit seemingly uncertain if the race was official or not.

Only outsider Rebellious Spirit pulled up in time. He then had all the time in the world to complete his task.

Saint Helena
Leicester April 4, 2011

Prize-money is often a hot topic in horseracing and in 2011 the Horsemen’s Group, the body representing racing professionals and owners, imposed what it felt should be minimum levels of reward. Failure by racecourses to meet these levels would spell trouble, it warned.

It came to be just a couple of months later when Saint Helena was the only horse declared for a race at Leicester, albeit trainers had planned for there to be no runners at all.

Saint Helena’s trainer Harry Dunlop had been a supporter of the planned boycott, but elected to run the filly after speaking to her owners. She cantered the furlong required and took the prize.

The trainers' boycott was more complete a couple of weeks later when Leicester abandoned a race due to no declarations being made.

Moulin De La Croix
Worcester July 11, 2012

As the tariff row continued to rumble on, jumps trainers came together on a summer evening at Worcester in an attempt to force the issue.

With the prize fund £900 below the tariff level, ten trainers withdrew their runners shortly before the race allowing Moulin De La Croix to complete alone – and for her jockey Sam Twiston-Davies to perform an ironic flying dismount afterwards having punched the air in celebration after passing the post by himself.

Trainers Charlie Mann, Nicky Henderson, David Pipe, Donald McCain, Philip Hobbs, Venetia Williams, Alan King, Jonjo O'Neill, Seamus Mullins and Evan Williams were all fined. A prize-money agreement was finally reached between the racing’s stakeholders in late 2012.

Presence Felt
Wetherby October 15, 2014

Perhaps best remembered for the fact Sir Anthony McCoy was forced to give up the certain winner as the wheels began to come off in his pursuit for 300 winners in a season.

Earlier in the afternoon, the multiple champion had produced something quite startling when winning on the quirky Goodwood Mirage despite having a dislocated collarbone.

Yet he was forced to miss the rest of the day, even his iron will and legendary pain threshold not being enough to pass the doctor.

In his place, Harry Bannister got the leg up to canter past the winning post, his rivals having been withdrawn due to the going and on self-certificates.

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