Trainer 'shocked' after massive gamble on horse which won after monster 903-day absence

A racehorse trainer said he was ‘shocked’ after a horse which he also owns justified a massive gamble to win on his first start for 903 days on Thursday.

Lucky Bounce, trained in Herefordshire by Ryan Potter, was maiden after eight starts, three on the Flat and five in the jumps sphere. He had only made the frame once when he finished second in the handicap hurdle at Market Rasen. Yet that race was nearly two and a half years previously when he was beaten a neck after being sent off a 2-1 favourite.

The Racing Post analysis said, “Lucky Bounce was well backed stepping up in trip on his fifth hurdles start. He went agonisingly close for his supporters and compensation awaits.”

Followers were kept waiting a long time for their ‘compensation’ as Lucky Bounce did not reappear until Thursday at Ffos Las where he was declared for a 3m novices’ handicap hurdle under jockey Brendan Powell.

On the course his odds reflected the fact he had a monster absence to overcome as he opened a 15-2 chance but close to the off those odds crashed and he went off the 5-2 favourite.

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Lined up at the front of the field by Powell, he made all the running and sealed victory over Miss Popalong with a clean jump at the last to win by a length.

Potter, who has been training since 2011 and has a stable of 16 horses., recorded one of his biggest wins in February when Knockanore won the Eider Chase at Newcastle.

Speaking to Racing after the success of Lucky Bounce, he said: “Look, this has come as a bit of a shock now. It probably wasn’t the best race in the and I actually told Brendan to pop him out. He’s got a bit of class about him.

“We thought he was better than what he is but we thought he would probably blow up and we’d win with him in a couple of races time. Brendan’s given him a lovely ride and got a freebie in front. I probably wouldn’t read too much into it.

“Somebody’s had a couple of quid on him. His Market Rasen run before he got injured was probably good enough to win. It was a bad race. Nothing against the other horses in the race.

“Today’s a shock. If we’d fancied him today he would have been in at Cartmel next week but this came as a shock.”