£3,000 purchase Jeannot Lapin springs 150-1 surprise in beginners' chase - and is now 66-1 for the Arkle

Jeannot Lapin caused a major upset at Leopardstown when landing a competitive 2m1f beginners' chase at 150-1 on his first start under rules.

The five-year-old, who was bought for £3,000 after failing to win his three point-to-points, scored for trainer Gearoid O'Loughlin under Ricky Doyle.

He stayed on well to beat the Gordon Elliott-trained What's Up Darling by two and a half lengths, with 50-1 shot No Flies On Him claiming third. Hot favourite It's For Me suffered a fatal injury after jumping just two fences.

"I expected him to run really well as his homework had been good. I thought he was a proper horse," said O’Loughlin.

"I bought him off Sam Curling and I couldn't find what was wrong with him. He was maybe a bit sick when he ran in his point-to-points or something.

"He did a piece of work around Tipperary two weeks ago and showed me enough to suggest he'd be competitive in one of these. He's massive but he was a shell in May. To be fair to his owner Dominic [Jones] he brought him home and fed him all through the summer."

Jeannot Lapin and Ricky Doyle in action in the beginners' chase at LeopardstownCredit: Patrick McCann

After his surprise victory, Jeannot Lapin was introduced at 66-1 by Paddy Power for the My Pension Expert Arkle at the Cheltenham Festival.

"There's no plan after this – the plan was today as the owner wanted a runner here," added O'Loughlin. "His owner sent me off to buy a horse and I got one for three-grand to run in Leopardstown at Christmas. I’ve never had a horse as big as him, maybe a hunter."

It was another big result for his owner, whose Sawbuck equalled the record for the longest-priced winner of a race in Britain and Ireland after scoring at 300-1 in a maiden hurdle at Punchestown in May 2022.

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