Full Breakdown
Najidi Storm Sets Unwanted Record as Shortest-Priced Loser in British Racing
9/8/2026, 10:45:12 PM
Record-Breaking Upset at Goodwood
On Tuesday, Juddmonte’s colt Najidi Storm entered the Cleansing Service Group Novice Stakes at Goodwood as the 1-33 favourite—the shortest odds ever offered on a British racehorse. The three-horse field saw the 10-1 second favourite, Wreck It Ronnie, win by a length and a half, relegating Najidi Storm to second and creating a new record for the most heavily backed loser in the sport’s history.
Pedigree and Expectations
Najidi Storm is a full-brother to Logician, the 2019 St Leger winner, and is by the celebrated sire Frankel. Owned by Juddmonte, the colt had impressed on his debut at Kempton a month earlier, prompting punters to line up massive bets at the unprecedented 1-33 price.
Race Details and Statistics
- Odds: Najidi Storm 1-33 (shortest-priced loser); previous record jointly held by Doom (2023) and Royal Forest (1948) at 1-25.
- Winner: Wreck It Ronnie, trained by Charlie Pike, started at 10-1 and earned just over £10,000.
- Margin: Wreck It Ronnie won by a length and a half; third-placed Dream Of Albion finished 76 lengths behind.
- Field: Three runners over a distance of 1 mile 2 furlongs (10 furlongs).
Official Reactions
Bookmakers highlighted the market impact of the upset. Brian O’Keeffe of BOYLE Sports noted that while Najidi Storm could have been an “acca buster,” the extreme short price meant many bettors shifted focus to the outsider, making the result unfavorable for layers. Paddy Power’s Paul Binfield echoed the sentiment that the favourite’s loss did not benefit punters, labeling the winner as a “loser in the book.”
Verbatim Quotes
- “Wreck It Ronnie sure lived up to his name with favourite-backers and the winner was actually a loser in the book with punters taking a chance against the very short-priced ‘jolly’.” — Paul Binfield, paddy power spokesman
- “This is a remarkable result that almost nobody would have predicted,” — William Hill
- “Racing history has been made in today’s opener on the South Downs, but winner Wreck It Ronnie was a loser in the book with punters taking a chance against the very short-priced favourite.” — Paul Binfield, paddy power spokesman
Data & Statistics Summary
- Shortest-priced loser: 1-33 (Najidi Storm).
- Previous record: 1-25 (Doom, 2023; Royal Forest, 1948).
- Winning odds: 10-1 (Wreck It Ronnie).
- Winning margin: 1½ lengths.
- Third place gap: 76 lengths.
The race underscores the volatility of betting markets when extreme favourite odds are offered, and it cements Najidi Storm’s place in racing history for an unwanted record.
