‘I don’t think this HAPPENED’ Jockey Jack Kennedy banned for saddle-up after another horse retired after chaos in final race and winner at 999-1
In one of the most bizarre and chaotic finishes ever witnessed in National Hunt racing, the opening race at Down Royal on October 31, 2025, turned into a spectacle of falls, rule breaches, and an improbable long-shot victory that left pundits and fans alike questioning if it could really have unfolded that way. The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden Hurdle over 2m6½f was meant to be a straightforward affair dominated by Gordon Elliott’s heavily backed favorites, but a dramatic tumble at the final hurdle triggered a chain of events culminating in a 999-1 in-running winner, a jockey remounting against regulations, and subsequent bans that underscored the strict governance of the sport.
The race favorites were Elliott’s duo: Theflyingking, the 1/3 market leader ridden by champion jockey Jack Kennedy, and stablemate Kazansky, partnered by Sam Ewing. As the field approached the last hurdle, Theflyingking held a commanding three-length lead, with odds on the Betfair Exchange plunging to a minuscule 1.01—effectively 1-100—reflecting near-certain victory. Kennedy, fresh from multiple wins earlier in the year and known for his cool-headed rides on high-profile mounts, appeared to have the contest wrapped up. Theflyingking, touted as a potential Albert Bartlett contender with his sturdy build and promising form, jumped boldly throughout, living up to the hype from Elliott’s Cullentra House Stables.
Disaster struck in an instant. Theflyingking stepped awkwardly at the final obstacle, pecking badly on landing and falling heavily. The horse’s momentum carried it tumbling into the path of the pursuing Kazansky, who had also traded at 1.01 moments earlier as second place seemed assured. With nowhere to go, Kazansky collided and unseated Ewing, sending both horse and rider sprawling. The fall was severe enough to prompt immediate veterinary attention, and while Theflyingking and Kennedy emerged unscathed—Kennedy quickly on his feet and the horse reported fine by Elliott—the incident effectively eliminated the top two from contention.
In the ensuing pandemonium, Henry de Bromhead’s Some Song, a 7-2 shot ridden by Darragh O’Keeffe, cleared the hurdle cleanly and powered home to victory. What made the win extraordinary was its in-running odds: drifting to a staggering 1000 on the exchange—equivalent to 999-1—as the leaders dominated early, Some Song capitalized on the chaos to deliver owner Mike Roden his first career winner. O’Keeffe later explained that his mount had tired after the third-last but stayed on gamely when the pace quickened ahead. De Bromhead, visibly relieved, called it a “fortunate” triumph for a horse showing promise over hurdles.
Adding to the surreal scene, Sam Ewing performed what Racing TV commentator Jane Mangan described as an unprecedented act: he remounted Kazansky and trotted the horse across the line in second place. This “saddle-up” violated strict Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) rules prohibiting remounting after unseating in races, primarily for safety reasons. Ewing’s one-day ban was swiftly confirmed, a lenient penalty reflecting the minor nature but clear breach. Mangan’s on-air reaction captured the moment perfectly: “I don’t think this has ever happened,” highlighting the rarity of a jockey completing the course post-unseating amid such high-stakes drama.
Jack Kennedy, though not directly at fault for the fall, found himself indirectly embroiled in the fallout. The title-chasing jockey, who has battled numerous injuries including multiple leg breaks, was banned in connection to the remounting incident—stewards citing procedural infractions around the “saddle-up” chaos, though details emphasized Ewing’s actions as the primary violation. Kennedy’s involvement stemmed from the stable’s dual runners and the ensuing inquiry, leading to a short suspension that sidelined him briefly. Elliott downplayed the drama, stating, “It’s jumps racing. It’s not nice when it happens but we move on. Jack said the horse was good and brave the whole way but stepped at the last.” Both fallen horses were reported fit, but whispers emerged of Theflyingking being retired from competition following the heavy tumble, a precautionary measure given the force of the impact and the horse’s value as a novice with Grade 1 potential.
The broader card at Down Royal proceeded with Elliott rebounding strongly. Kennedy, undeterred, guided Casheldale Lad to victory in the Listed bottlegreen Hurdle at 1/4, marking Elliott’s fifth consecutive win in the race despite the non-runner of stablemate The Yellow Clay. Romeo Coolio, another Elliott-trained favorite at 4/6, won the BetVictor Beginners Chase under Kennedy, with fences omitted due to low sun. De Bromhead also notched successes, including Full Of Life in the Grade Three mares’ novice hurdle.
This Down Royal debacle exemplified the razor-thin margins in jumps racing, where favorites can vanish in a blink, outsiders triumph against astronomical odds, and rules enforce discipline amid adrenaline-fueled decisions. The 999-1 swing on Some Song entered betting folklore, while the remount and bans sparked debates on rider judgment and welfare protocols. For Kennedy, a jockey accustomed to triumphs and setbacks, it was another chapter in a resilient career. Elliott’s team, dominant yet humbled in one race, moved forward, reminding all that in this sport, unpredictability is the only certainty. As the dust settled on a day of high drama, one thing was clear: racing’s magic lies in its capacity to deliver the unbelievable, even if, as Mangan quipped, it feels like it “never happened.”
