How did they do that? Watch ten of this year's most astonishing winners

There has never been a year quite like this but, even with a chunk of action lost during the coronavirus pandemic, racing’s capacity to produce remarkable finishes has remained untouched.

Numerous horses matched in-running at 999-1 on Betfair managed to pull off amazing triumphs and, on the other side of the coin, masses more were matched at the minimum price of 1.01 on the betting exchange but ended up being beaten.

Below are ten of the year’s most dramatic winners, or losers depending on how you view these things.

Warning: you may feel compelled to watch more than one watch to determine exactly what occurred.

When and where: March 23 at Naas, Mile maiden. SP: 2-1

Those quickly flicking down the results this day would have seen nothing unusual in Russian Emperor, a 2-1 favourite trained by Aidan O’Brien, winning the finale at Naas shortly before Ireland joined Britain in racing lockdown.

But even after several viewings it is difficult to comprehend exactly how Russian Emperor gets up. A furlong out, he’s going up and down on the spot under strong driving with the five horses ahead of him apparently pulling away.

In the next instance, they seem to get suspended in time as the market leader suddenly begins to surge. No wonder he hit the maximum price of 999-1 in-running.

When and Where: March 11 at Cheltenham, 3m RSA Chase. SP: 4-1

If you a horse that is named after a 20-time champion jockey who refused to acknowledge lost causes, then it helps if you've got an inclination to snatch victory from the bowels of defeat.

You don't need me to tell you, but Champ got left behind turning for home by Minella Indo and Allaho and was still ten lengths behind at the final fence.

We all focused on the front pair, who were having a proper ding-dong, but neither could put it to bed. Weary, they succumbed to Champ's courageous rally under the brillant Barry Geraghty.

The winner traded at 599-1, with Minella Indo matched at 1.06. Earlier this year, racingtv.com held a Commentator Challenge Competition, inviting entrants to themselves call the finish. Matthew Sheridan was among our winners and his effort is included above..

When and where: July 13 at Kempton, 7f Handicap. SP: 11-1

A case of seeing is believing because Dutch Decoy was last of the ten runners, wide and, just for good measure, under pressure with about a furlong to run. The layers on Betfair thought he represented easy money and he was matched at 999-1.

Plenty of jockeys would have given the race up as a lost cause but Franny Norton kept asking for more, or at least something, and eventually his three-year-old partner consented to engage top gear.

Amazingly, Dutch Decoy ended up winning by three quarters of a length with the next four home separated by no more than a neck.

When and where: September 18 at Ayr, 6f Nursery. SP: 18-1

Never mind Outrun The Storm, the Richard Fahey-trained youngster could not outrun his own shadow for much of the way.

Awkward at the start and pushed along from the outset, his supporters would have held out little hope for all bar the final moments of the 75-second contest. Not sirprisingly, he traded at the maximum price of 999-1 in-running.

Paddy Mathers was probably blowing harder than the horse at the finish, although he was a little over-zealous with the whip and picked up a two-day ban.

When and where: October 22 at Thurles, 2m Maiden Hurdle. SP: 14-1

Stop this mares’ maiden race at two out and Botani is going to win. It’s the same jumping the last, and most of the way up the run-in.

That was reflected in-running, with £15,000 matched at the minimum price of 1.01.

Botani didn’t actually do anything wrong, it’s just that Ava Rose, who traded at 249-1, did things better and in a different order. She crept into the picture when jumping the final flight in fourth under Philip Enright and finished with a flourish to get up and win by a neck.

When and where: July 31 at Pontefract, 6f Handicap. SP: 14-1

“From nowhere, Grace And Virtue comes to force a photo” said eagle-eyed commentator David Fitzgerald. And after the judge studied that photo, he found she had defeated Kindly, the favourite, by a head.

This was a perfect 999-1 storm. An overly strong pace, a stiff track, the favourite looking in command, plus a peach of a ride on the swooper.

Tony Hamilton got the gaps just when he needed them and got up in the nick of time. About £11 was matched at 999-1.

When and where: January 18 at Haydock, 2m Grade Two Hurdle. SP: 5-2

You don’t need many runners for in-running chaos. Perhaps it even helps, with players not having many bits of the jigsaw to put together.

Leading Champion Hurdle hope Pentland Hills went off 2-1 favourite for The New One Unibet Hurdle and, despite racing keenly, was the only one of the quartet still on the bridle at the last with seemingly only Cornerstone Lad to worry about. The other pair simply didn't count.

When he moved a length and a half ahead of that rival it looked game over, even when Nico de Boinville became more urgent.

But no sooner than £17,402 had been matched at 1.01, than Ballyandy, matched at 699-1, motored home down the outside under an inspired Sam Twiston-Davies to get up and win by a nose.

When and where: January 12 at Punchestown, 2m Maiden Hurdle. SP: 12-1

Blackbow, the 1-3 favourite, and Port Stanley, a 4-1 chance, dominated the betting for this 22-runner contest and jumping two out they duly looked to have the race between them.

However, their respective riders were probably guilty of asking for too much, too soon, and found themselves vulnerable when it mattered most.

Rachael Blackmore sat off them before asking Le Musigny to close the gap. Her tactics worked a treat and once hitting the front her mount fended off another late challenger in The Broghie Masn.

When and where: October 21 at Newmarket, 1m2f Nursery. SP: 100-30

An undoubted candidate for ride of the season by William Buick on Act Of Wisdom.

Running down to two out, Act Of Wisdom was struggling to keep up and getting slightly squeezed at that stage hardly helped. About that stage some punters put two and two together and decided he was a lost cause as he traded at 999-1.

Rewired and Oman moved on, but Buick refused to throw in the towel. He got his mount motoring again and, against all odds, grabbed victory by a nose in the final stride.

When and where: June 10 at Kempton, 7f maiden, SP: 40-1

Horses who win after hitting 999-1 usually come from the clouds or overcome adversity but then there are others like Miami Joy, who was matched at the maximum price despite never being more than a length off the lead.

Ismail Mohammed’s two-year-old colt, making his debut, was an outsider among the dozen runners and after pulling hard in the early stages the game looked up for him when Night Moment, under Oisin Murphy and joint-favourite, asserted inside the final furlong.

Even crossing the line, it appeared that Night Moment had hung on. But Miami Joy had got back up. A moment of Miami Misery for his layers, with £10.16 matched at the ceiling price.

And bubbling under....

When and where: August 13 at Leopardstown, Mile maiden. SP: 300-1

He Knows No Fear had previously made little impact on his debut and was sent off at 300-1 in the 15-runner field.

In midfield for much of the way and pushed along two out, he hit the maximum price as Agitare, the Evens favourite, took command in the closing stages. However, Chris Hayes got a sustained run out of He Knows No Fear when it mattered most and the combination got up in the final stride.

Almost £100 was matched on the combination at 999-1, triggering a £100,000 payout.