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Royal Ascot is renowned for unexpected underdog wins, with some horses such as Nando Parrado winning at odds of 150/1 in 2020, highlighting the unpredictability of the festival. Historical surprises like Flashman’s Papers and Fox Chapel further underscore why betting on the outsiders can pay off, as the combination of inexperienced runners and a wide field creates the perfect storm for surprising results.
Every year, the Royal Ascot festival brings world-class racing, unforgettable fashion and plenty of drama, but while most people pick their favourites, there have been many underdog winners over the years. Some of these unlikely winners were the biggest betting shocks British Racing has ever experienced, with some occurring recently and others being part of the festival’s incredible history.
Here at OddsMonkey, we’ll take a look at some of the biggest odds winners, why Royal Ascot produced a shocker, and who else took part in it. matched betting can learn.
Nando Parrado – 2020
The biggest price winner in Royal Ascot history was placed at a staggering 150/1. In 2020, Royal Ascot was staged behind closed doors during the pandemic, creating an unusual atmosphere that many believe contributed to a week full of surprises. It doesn’t get any bigger than Nando Parrado’s in the Coventry Area.
Trained by Clive Cox and ridden by Adam Kirby, the two-year-old was sent off at 150/1 after finishing only fifth on debut at Newcastle. Few people gave him a chance to win, as the field was filled with expensive and highly touted teenagers, but he rode strongly throughout the race and made a late surge. The result went straight into Royal Ascot folklore and rewrote the book on the meeting’s biggest disappointment.
Flashman Papers – 2008
Another disappointment was caused by Flashman’s Papers, which took place in 2008 across the Windsor Castle Stakes, and the horse was placed at a huge 100/1. Trained by Brian Meehan, the colt managed to defeat his much more advantageous opponents to deliver one of the greatest upsets of the modern era.
The two-year-old race at Royal Ascot is usually known for being a difficult race to predict, with many runners being inexperienced, while others will only be starting their careers for the second time. Flashman’s Paper is a clear case study of this, as the outsiders beat their competitors to become one of the biggest underdogs in the festival’s history.
Fox Chapel – 1990
Before Nando Parrado and Flashman’s Papers, there was Fox Chapel in 1990 who managed to finish first with odds of 100/1. A winner in the Britannia Stakes, this race is usually known as one of the most difficult handicaps of the week, often featuring a wide field and very thin margins.
At the time, it was almost unthinkable for a horse with triple-digit odds to win at Royal Ascot, with elite trainers, top jockeys and horses with strong backing featured here. Major upsets are relatively rare compared to regular handicaps, but Fox Chapel changed this perception forever.
Why does Royal Ascot produce so many Surprising Results?
Despite featuring some of the best horses in the world, Royal Ascot is a festival that many people look forward to value bettingas this may give rise to some unexpected winners. Here are some reasons why the Royal Ascot festival produces so many surprising results:
- Large Field Sizes – Many Royal Ascot handicaps feature 20 to 30 runners, which dramatically increases the unpredictability. Traffic problems can be one of the main reasons why the top racers do not excel in this race.
- International Competitions – Royal Ascot is one of the biggest competitions in the world, meaning it attracts talent from Europe, America, Australia and Asia. From lines that are often difficult to compare, it can be difficult to pick out how these horses will perform at Royal Ascot.
- Two-Year-Old Racing – Juvenile contests are some of the most difficult to analyze, as young horses can improve drastically compared to older horses. To learn more about horse racing analysis, check out our horse racing betting guide.
- Market Overreaction – The Royal Ascot Festival creates huge betting turnover, and hype can affect prices. Horses from strong distances or ridden by superstar jockeys often overbet, while lesser-known runners follow increasing odds.
Royal Ascot is one of the toughest betting weeks of the year, but it also offers different opportunities for disciplined bettors. Rather than blindly backing favorites, successful bettors can often focus on finding horses whose odds underestimate their odds.
Bettors can search for:
- The unaccounted for two-year-old child
- Horses suited to handicaps in large fields
- International runners are ignored by the market
- Draw or place strong corners
- The trainer specifically targets the Ascot race
For those who want to learn more about horse racing, we matched betting blog is a great place to read about horse racing and sports betting content.
Royal Ascot on OddsMonkey
The Royal Ascot Festival is one of the biggest events on the horse racing calendar, and requires a lot of preparation and research to make the most of it. At OddsMonkey, we not only have a blog, but also our blog betting calculator it is very important to prepare yourself for the festival.
For more Royal Ascot content, users can check out our best and Royal Ascot betting offers Royal Ascot matched betting guide on site.
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