'We left nothing out there' - how Reve De Sivola snatched dramatic Long Walk win

Betfair's in-running market has seen some huge sums traded and lost after the impossible somehow became reality. In a new series called Room 1.01, we recall some of racing's most expensive defeats.

This week's subject: Zarkandar

The horse

Following the retirement of Big Buck's, the staying hurdling division was crying out for a new star and the 2014 Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot had been expected to unearth the next Paul Nicholls-trained king in waiting in Zarkandar.

A top-notch two-mile hurdler who claimed the 2011 Triumph Hurdle and the Aintree Hurdle a year later in an already lucrative career, he thrived over staying trips too, including when putting some of the best British and French hurdlers to the sword with a destructive five-length win in the Grand Prix D'Automne a month earlier.

Zarkandar (pink) and Daryl Jacob had previously struck up a winning partnership togetherCredit: Edward Whitaker

Up against him was Reve De Sivola, a wide-margin winner of the previous two Long Walks and bidding to emulate Big Buck's as a hat-trick hero in the race. However, the nine-year-old was beginning to enter the twilight of his career and was well beaten by Zarkandar at Auteuil.

Daryl Jacob, who had ridden Zarkandar to Cheltenham Festival glory, would be in opposition to him this time on the Nick Williams-trained Reve De Sivola, who seemingly had the odds stacked against him in pursuit of history.

Even his stablemate Aubusson was better fancied than him, but in reality they all were up against it in odds-on favourite Zarkandar.

The race

As had became his usual tactic, Reve De Sivola bounded into the lead from the off to dictate matters, but any hopes of a historic third win could have been dashed as he ploughed his way through the third hurdle, with only Jacob's expertise in the saddle keeping the partnership in tact.

He maintained his front-running position before the race bubbled to the boil with less than half a mile to go. As they swung into the home straight, Jacob began to send distress signals, while Sam Twiston-Davies stalked menacingly in behind him while the other three rivals toiled.

Watch the replay here

After jumping the second-last, a motionless Twiston-Davies pulled Zarkandar out and cruised past Reve De Sivola, with Jacob throwing the kitchen sink at his mount. On the run to the final hurdle, the race was seemingly over and an easy success for Zarkandar looked a formality.

Reve De Sivola made what could have been a shuddering error when flattening the flight, but a clumsy jump from Zarkandar with glory in his sight proved to be his most crucial downfall.

Zarkandar (pink) cruises alongside Reve De Sivola at AscotCredit: Racing UK

Zarkandar holds sway from the blundering Reve De SivolaCredit: Racing UK

Zarkandar is asked to go and win the race by Sam Twiston-DaviesCredit: Racing UK

But Reve De Sivola rallies gamely for Daryl Jacob and seizes the leadCredit: Racing UK

Reve De Sivola scores by the official winning margin of a head after an epic battleCredit: Racing UK

From the race being done and dusted, Zarkandar was floundering in front. He was still a handful of lengths clear, but the wind was knocked from his sails and Reve De Sivola sniffed the chance of clawing him back.

It was an opportunity he took, gallantly rallying in the final stages to stick his neck in front, and while Zarkandar tried again with one last lunge it was not enough as Reve De Sivola held on.

A historic victory had been snatched from near-certain defeat as Reve De Sivola, who hit 100-1 in running on the Betfair Exchange, bathed in glory. For Zarkandar, it was a sickening shock from a sure success at the dreaded 1.01.

The in-running comments

Reve De Sivola

Led at solid pace, blundered badly 3rd, hit 7th, pushed along from 11th, ridden and headed 2 out, at least 2 lengths down when mistake last, rallied to lead final 75yds, held on

Zarkandar

Settled in 3rd until tracked leader 11th, led going strongly 2 out, at least 2 lengths clear when not fluent last, soon ridden, headed final 75yds, kept on near finish

What they say

Daryl Jacob, jockey of Reve De Sivola

It was a long time ago, but gosh he was a wonderful horse. He was very tough and that was his biggest asset. Mentally he was very strong and his will to win was incredible. He'd never lie down when he got into a battle and never wanted to be defeated.

I had plenty of very good days on him in the past and I was delighted to get the call-up again for the Long Walk. He was getting on in years, but I sat on him before the race and he still had his enthusiasm. I was debating whether he had the legs for it anymore as he wasn't quite as fast as he once was, but his will to win and determination is what sees him through.

In all he was a very good jumper, but he could throw in one of those hairy jumps. He seemed to always get to the other side, but now and then he'd get his wires crossed.

Daryl Jacob: 'He was a wonderful horse'Credit: Edward Whitaker

I had ridden Zarkandar in the past and I knew a fair bit about him. When he came up to me, I knew as long as I kept going and had a little bit left in the tank, get close to him and get him into a dogfight, that my lad would relentlessly keep going. It was handy knowing Zarkandar from the past, but take nothing away from my lad, he got his head down and didn't want to be defeated.

It doesn't matter whether it's a Grade 1 or a 0-120 race, anytime you get beat on the line is a tough pill to swallow. I've had it to me in the past and Sam won't be the first, nor the last, in any type of race. It's always deflating to come second, no matter what level it is.

He was a bit like Neptune Collonges in those horses who want to run for you literally give everything. It's a great feeling as a jockey you're never defeated; you've always got a chance of winning the race when a horse has that sort of toughness underneath you. We left nothing out there.

The owners [Paul Duffy Diamond Partnership] are a special bunch of people. We still speak regularly and every time I see them he's the conversation that comes up. He was a special horse I needed at the time to bring me up to the next level in my career. He was the one that kept me up on the main stage and is one of my most favourite horses.

What happened next?

Reve De Sivola's thrilling third Long Walk victory would prove to be the final Grade 1 of his glittering career. A stalwart over nine years for Nick Williams, he finished second behind Thistlecrack a year later before scooping the 2016 Rendlesham Hurdle.

However, his career met a tragic end when he collapsed and died at the age of 12 at Kelso in March 2017. He won six Grade 1s during an illustrious career, earning just over £625,000 in prize-money.

The Rendlesham Hurdle proved to be a final high point for Zarkandar as he landed the prize 12 months after Reve De Sivola. He retired in 2018 and is now enjoying a happy retirement as an evergreen 15-year-old.

Read more from this series:

Minellacelebration: 'It's not like he fell in a hole or anything' – the horse beaten at 1.01, twice

Cotai Glory: 'I got absolute howls of abuse walking back in – it was horrific'

Go West Young Man: 'He turned sharp left and over to the far rail – it was a proper handbrake turn'

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