'I wasn't surprised, he was entitled to win' - connections react to Kempton coup

A gambled-on winner at Kempton on Wednesday had been targeted at the race prior to joining his new connections, who insisted on Thursday the victory “wasn’t really a surprise” and the horse’s rating entitled him to be in with a chance.

I Doubt That landed the 1m4f 0-55 handicap as the 11-4 favourite, having been backed from odds of 33-1 on Wednesday morning into a low of 9-4 despite beating only a handful of rivals in six starts on the Flat and over jumps in Ireland.

The race was the four-year-old’s first start for Jimmy Fox, who was saddling his first winner in 925 days, with the trainer putting the improved performance down to the trip, the all-weather surface and the application of a tongue-tie for the first time, as well as the horse having already earned a rating of 50 from his outings in Ireland.

Gamble landed! Horse backed from 33-1 to 11-4 lands 'unusual' Kempton touch

Fox, who did not travel to Kempton, was not interviewed by stewards before or after the race, with the BHA stating on Thursday it was satisfied the combination of a new trainer, trip, surface and equipment were sufficient explanation for the horse’s improved performance.

I Doubt That last raced in Ireland on April 13 for trainer Kieran Purcell and owner A Rogers, and is listed by the BHA as joining Fox on May 11, the day before he would have been entered to run at Kempton.

The four-year-old triumphed on Wednesday in the colours of Fox’s wife Sarah-Jane, who travelled the horse to Kempton and confirmed she had not been spoken to by stewards either, and that the horse had returned in good shape from his success.

“He’s absolutely fine, yes,” she said. “He came over just before [May 11] and the race was discussed as part of the plan with him coming over in the first place. He wasn’t getting his ground in Ireland and that was part of why he came over.

“Jimmy’s of the opinion that everyone’s so surprised by it but it wasn’t really a surprise. He was rated 50 and it was a 0-55, so he was entitled to be in the race and he was entitled to win it. People have been shocked, but we can train winners – we’ve had doubles at Kempton before – and it was just something they weren’t expecting.”

She added: “It is just some people that [Jimmy] knows from Ireland [who own the horse], I don’t really get involved with that. I think it’s the same people who owned him there.”

Pat Dobbs: rode I Doubt ThatCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Fox, who has nine horses in training alongside his wife’s livery yard and transport business, queried how much money it would have taken to contract I Doubt That’s odds, but added he had been confident of success prior to the racing.

“The lads asked me if I would take him and see if I thought he would do the job, so I did,” he told the Nick Luck Daily podcast. “Would there be a lot of money for him though? I know the lads were having a bet but you try and get money on at 33-1 and see how much you can get on. It’s very difficult to get money on nowadays. I wouldn’t think there was masses of money on him.

“I thought he’d win, I must admit. Pat [Dobbs] rode him like the best horse in the race and he won like the best horse in the race.”

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