Trainer calls horse a ‘d***’ who she thought was going to ‘kill someone’ after 200-1 shot finishes second at Newbury

TRAINER Jo Davis called one of her horses a ‘bit of a d***’ after he finished second at massive odds of 200-1. Her six-year-old gelding Saggazza – who previously had the name ‘Dave’ – had the best race of his life at Newbury in a two-and-a-half mile contest at the end of November. But prior […]

TRAINER Jo Davis called one of her horses a ‘bit of a d***’ after he finished second at massive odds of 200-1.

Her six-year-old gelding Saggazza – who previously had the name ‘Dave’ – had the best race of his life at Newbury in a two-and-a-half mile contest at the end of November.

PA:Empics Sport

But prior to that he had only shown a slight hint of form when sixth at odds of 300-1 at Exeter on November 3.

Still, that was some 43 lengths behind the winner.

And before that, at Stratford in August, Saggazza was beaten a colossal 99 lengths when racing at odds of 50-1.

Davis, who is based in East Garston in West Berkshire, had previously called Saggazza ‘very sketchy’.

Writing on her website, she said he was a ‘very talented’ horse but that her team had ‘struggled with his health and brain’.

And the back-handed compliments continued after Saggazza nearly became one of the biggest-priced winners ever.

He and jockey Page Fuller were pipped just over a length by 100-30 chance My Drogo, ridden by in-form Harry Skelton.

Quizzed on her horse afterwards, Davis said: “I thought he’d either kill someone or himself at Stratford and he was still a bit of a d*** at Exeter, but Newbury wasn’t a shock.”

Incredibly, it could have been even better for Saggazza.

He jumped the last well and was powering home when overtaken by the winner only in the closing stages.

Although Davis’ words were quite blunt, she does know what she is talking about.

She has been in the racing industry for more than 25 years and her horses have won more than £100,000 in prize money.

He Knows No Fear is the biggest-priced winner in British and Irish racing history, triumphing at odds of 300-1 at Leopardstown in the summer.

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