What was special about Whatawit's bumper win at Ffos Las on Saturday?

Whatawit equalled the record for the shortest-priced winner in Britain and Ireland when the Sir Mark Prescott-trained five-year-old justified a starting price of 1-100 at Ffos Las on Saturday evening. 

It is the first time in nearly 120 years that a winner has been returned so short. The last was top-class mare Sceptre's success in Newmarket's Limekiln Stakes in 1903, a year after a dazzling three-year-old season which saw her claim four British Classics. 

The success means Whatawit is now part of an exclusive list of five horses to have scored at similarly short odds, including Ormonde in winning the Champion Stakes in 1886.

Frankie Dettori came close to matching the record with a 1-66 success on Victory Spin at Beverley in 1999.

Whatawit was one of just two runners in the concluding 2m bumper and delivered on his odds with a smooth performance to cruise home 31 lengths clear from Johnthepostman.

Had Whatawit failed to score on his third career start, he would have become the shortest-priced loser in British and Irish racing history, with that record still held by Royal Forest, who finished second at 1-25 in the 1948 Clarence House Stakes. 

Hong Kong star Golden Sixty was sent off at 1-100 when falling short by three-quarters of a length in last year's Group 1 Stewards' Cup, only his second defeat in 21 starts at Sha Tin.

Whatawit, who is owned by Strawberry Fields Stud, was the first runner and winner at the track for Prescott under National Hunt rules and was following up on another bumper victory at Huntingdon 16 days ago under Sean Bowen. 

Bowen becomes the only jockey to have ridden winners at both 1-100 and 200-1 having scored a shock victory at the latter odds on the Nicky Martin-trained filly Inspiratrice at Taunton in December. 

 in-running comment:

Raced in second, led after 1f, went well clear home turn, easily 

Horses to have scored in Britain and Ireland at record odds of 1-100

Minting 1885 Triennial Produce Stakes - three ran

Ormonde 1886 Champion Stakes, Newmarket - three ran

Signorina 1889 Cheveley Stakes, Newmarket - two ran

Sceptre 1903 Limekiln Stakes, Newmarket - two ran

Whatawit 2023 bumper Ffos Las - two ran