'I didn't think he'd do that' - huge shock as 2-13 favourite and Royal Ascot runner-up is beaten by 28-1 debutant

Rochfortbridge caused a huge shock on his debut when impressively denying 2-13 favourite Thesecretadversary in the opening 7f maiden.

Thesecretadversary was sent off long odds-on after finishing runner-up in the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot last time. However, he was no match for the Adrian Keatley-trained 28-1 outsider, who won by three-quarters of a length. 

Keatley said: "He's shown he's a good horse. We thought a lot of him in the spring and he showed a lot at home, but he's such a big horse and weakened on us a bit.

"Coming here today the Irish horse looked red-hot and I thought we could be second or third and go to the Convivial Maiden at York, but he really surprised us by running well."

The Classic-winning trainer is eager to step him up into Group company at York's Ebor meeting next month.

Keatley added: "He and the runner-up pulled well clear of the third, so we know he's got plenty of ability. There looks like there's plenty of improvement still to come and the Acomb Stakes will be his next target."

While Thesecretadversary's defeat was a huge shock, it was not the biggest odds-on favourite defeat in Britain. Doom was beaten at odds of 1-25 at Ripon in September 2023 and shares the record as the shortest-priced loser alongside Royal Forest's defeat at Ascot in 1948.

Awesome Almeraq

Almeraq, who holds a Group 1 entry in the Betfair Sprint Cup, blew his rivals away on his first handicap start in the Ayr Gold Cup Trial.

So impressive was he that punters have also piled into him for the Stewards' Cup at Glorious Goodwood next week.

"Having initially cut Almeraq to 8-1 for the Coral Stewards' Cup, we were soon forced to cut those odds again to 5-1, and even that didn't deter punters, with the Ayr winner now an even shorter-priced market leader for one of the most competitive sprint handicaps of the season," said Coral's David Stevens.

Read more:

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Coronation Cup rematch still on the cards after eight kept in contention for King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes 

Why we should celebrate a lifetime of betting: 'It gives my 99-year-old father-in-law a reason to be up every day' 

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