Newcastle provides back-to-back shocks as Endofastorm and Notimeforanother steal the show
- Planet Sport writer
- 4 January 2023
It is not often you see a winner at triple-figure odds, but there was two in the space of half an hour at Newcastle on Wednesday.
With the first two races going with the market and won by the favourites, David Griffiths struck a blow for the outsiders when Endofastorm went in at 125-1 in the Spreadex Sports £300 Spread Betting Cashback Handicap.
Then just 30 minutes later Keith Dalgleish's Notimeforanother got the better of the even-money favourite Regal Rambler by a neck to take the Spreadex Sports Best Odds On Sunderland Novice Stakes at 100-1.
The four-year-old Endofastorm was opening her account at the seventh attempt, but Gosforth Park seems to suit the daughter of Galileo Gold whose previous best came when second in a course-and-distance novice contest in November.
Her trainer was keen to praise the ride given by Phil Dennis, while the galloping nature of the Newcastle all-weather track will see the Bawtry-based handler now look for further opportunities over a mile in the north-east having seen his charge break her duck.
"It was a big surprise but she ran well up at Newcastle before when she was second and was obviously well handicapped," said Griffiths. "She's had some average runs in between then but I'm chuffed to bits.
"There was a headwind and we were drawn one which was not ideal anyway, so the plan was to squeeze her back a little bit, come across to the stands side and hope for a bit of luck. And in fairness it worked out perfectly and Phil has given her a brilliant ride. It worked out really well, I'm delighted.
"Newcastle is a nice, galloping track. Her run at Wolverhampton wasn't rubbish but it was not good either and I think she likes a nice, galloping track and will be where she's at her best. I think her trip will be a stiff mile as well - with it riding slow it suited her as it took all of a mile to get there.
"She's nicely bred on the dam's side, so a win is great for her page and hopefully she can go in again with a bit of luck."
