Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes report, reaction and free video replay as 200/1 shot wins for Richard Fahey

The three-year-old was having just his third start of his three-year-old career but had huge questions to answer after finishing eighth at Haydock and last of five at Beverley in his warm-up last time.

He had won the Group 2 Mill Reef at two to give Fahey some hope and he booked jockey Jamie Spencer for the ride in the hope of the jockey producing an Ascot straight course 'Spencer special'.

That was certainly the case as he travelled well ridden cold on the tail of the stands' side group and as he was pulled out to make his challenge he finished well to land the prize by a neck.

Lazzat ran well in second with Quinault (66/1) third, No Half Measures fourth and Inisherin fifth. Two lengths separated the first five and they were clear of the rest.

It all meant Powerful Glory became the longest-priced winner of a UK or Ireland Group 1 race this century.

A gobsmacked Fahey said: “He was undefeated as a two-year-old and he won the Mill Reef on ground that I’ve no doubt he hated so he showed he is a decent horse there.

“The plan was to get him ready for the Commonwealth Cup. We had a prep run and he just completely emptied. We did some investigations and his wind wasn’t one hundred percent.

“We had to do the operation and then there was the recuperation. This race closed ages ago and after that disappointing run I had to make the entry.

“I wanted to get a run in before this and the only race I could find was a five furlong race at Beverley 25 days ago. I had to run him. Fair dues to Sheikh Rashid (Dalmook Al Maktoum) as I said this horse will need it badly today. I always love to get a run into them after they have had a wind operation as it just gets a bit of a confidence booster into them.

“You can say he was disappointing, but I was delighted, as he was staying on again. Since then he has been training really well. I’m not saying I thought he would come here and nearly win, but I knew he wouldn't be last.

“When I saw him at 200/1 I nearly had a bet as I don’t bet. He had genuine excuses for his other two starts, but we have seen the real Powerful Glory today.

“We will have to speak to Sheikh Rashid to see what the plan is, but I’m just delighted for everybody as it has been a tricky year for us so to finish with a Group One is fantastic, especially for Sheikh Rashid as he has been a huge supporter to me.”

Spencer said: “When we went by the line I looked down at my number and I saw five, but the rest of the number cloth was beneath my leg.

“When we were cantering back I could hear the first number called was fifteen and I thought oh ****. Cieren Fallon cantered past me and said well done, but I said I didn’t win, and he goes they did as they called fifteen.

“I then looked down again and saw the rest of my number cloth so I got a double surprise. James was second, and he is one of my best friends, and he was one of the first to say well done when we came back.

“There is plenty to go around and he had plenty of Royal Ascot winners while I was slopping around in the unplaced enclosure.

Jerome Reynier, trainer of Lazzat, said: “He was as good as he was back in June. It was just a matter of they split all over the track and he was just kind of on his own over the other side of the track.

“He (James Doyle) found that was the right moment to make his move, but it was a bit too early. If he had some horses around him it would have been easy to manage his effort.

“He got caught on the post at the last moment, but that is just tough luck. I was very happy with him physically and I was happy with the way he was behaving.

“Saudi Arabia or Dubai we will have to think about them now. Hopefully we will be back to defend his title in June.”

Quinault's trainer Stuart Williams said: “I was excited two out. He has run a monster race. He will have a break now as he has been on the go since February. He is a superstar horse for us and hopefully he will have another successful season next year.

“He was lucky last time that the stumble he had last time only took the hair off the back of his leg. We were very worried at the time, but he came back good. That is as good as he has ever run.

“We might take him aboard again. I’d love to run in the race in Saudi Arabia over six and a half furlongs as I think that would really suit him. I didn’t get invited last year, but hopefully after today I will get invited.

“That is in the middle of February so he could kick off his season there as he loves travelling.”

Richard Hughes said of No Half Measures: “We are really proud to get her back in here. Just for a moment I thought she might have done it, and she might have been there a bit longer than we wanted.

“She has been in here twice now, today and at Royal Ascot, she has been a brilliant mare for us.

“That is her done now as she is off to Japan to go and be a broodmare. The deal was done about two months ago.”

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