Stable lad Alan Mulligan is €36,000 richer after 300-1 “no-hoper” He Knows No Fear became the biggest-priced winner in racing history at Leopardstown yesterday.
The three-year-old, trained by Luke Comer, got the better of a photo-finish with favourite Agitare to land the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden by a head to land the 31-year-old’s €100 each-way bet.
The shock eclipsed Equinoctial’s 250-1 turn-up at Kelso in 1990, and Co Meath-born Mulligan laughed last night: “I’m ecstatic to be honest – on cloud nine!”
Property developer Comer, who also owns the winner, had not tasted victory on the Flat for nine years and He Knows No Fear had beaten just two rivals when 250-1 for his debut at Limerick last month.
But Mulligan, who joined the Comer yard in Dunboyne, Co Meath, six years ago, said: “There was always scope in him. Seeing him on the gallops and what he’s doing, you had to do something. If he didn’t win, I was confident of a place.”
Mulligan placed the bet in a Ladbrokes shop in north Dublin.
“When he started to drift – he was 150-1 earlier and I was going to go small – so I thought, ‘Go for it!’” he revealed.
“I didn’t think it was going to set the record but Luke was always going to get the one in a million. There’s a great buzz around the place this evening.”
Mulligan, who is single, quipped “there could be a bride soon” and plans to spend his winnings on a luxury holiday once the coronavirus crisis is over.
“I’d be going to a travel agent this evening if I could!” he added. “There will be a bottle of champagne drunk tonight.”
“I might roll in late in the morning!”
