Phil Foden’s Horse Stuns 1-33 Najidi Storm in Historic British Racing Upset

Najidi Storm has entered the British racing record books for all the wrong reasons after the 1-33 favourite suffered a shock defeat at Goodwood on Tuesday.

The Harry Charlton-trained colt was expected to comfortably follow up his impressive debut victory at Kempton, but 10-1 shot Wreck It Ronnie produced a major upset to beat the Juddmonte runner by a length and a half. The result made Najidi Storm the shortest-priced beaten favourite in British racing history, surpassing a record that had stood jointly at 1-25.

Eventmasters offers official horse racing hospitality at some of the biggest meetings in the British calendar, including the Qatar Goodwood Festival. Goodwood’s five-day summer showpiece returns from Tuesday 27th to Saturday 31st July 2027, with hospitality available in facilities including The Long View, Charlton Hunt Restaurant, The Final Furlong and The Secret Garden.

Wreck It Ronnie Produces Huge Goodwood Upset

Najidi Storm arrived for the 1m2f novice stakes with considerable expectations following his winning debut at Kempton. The three-year-old boasts a strong pedigree as a son of Frankel and Scuffle, making him a brother to 2019 St Leger winner Logician.

Sent off at just 1-33, Najidi Storm was ridden by Lewis Edmunds and carried a 7lb penalty for his previous success. However, he was unable to get past Wreck It Ronnie after the Charlie Pike-trained colt took well to the softer conditions at Goodwood.

Wreck It Ronnie had been beaten by more than 22 lengths on each of his previous two appearances at Kempton, but the switch to turf and drop back in trip brought significant improvement. Kieren Fox’s mount kept finding when challenged, eventually beating Najidi Storm by a length and a half, while the leading pair finished 76 lengths ahead of third-placed Dream Of Albion.

Pike admitted that while connections had expected improvement, defeating a favourite at such short odds was not part of their expectations.

“I was expecting him to run well but winning against such a short-priced horse isn’t something you have in mind. We knew he’d run well, we thought he’d like coming back in trip and the ground on turf.

“We were positive but we weren’t sure about winning the race. It just shows that’s horseracing for you. We’ve definitely got a nice horse on our hands – I don’t think the favourite disgraced himself – we were just a little bit better in the conditions.”

Phil Foden ‘Absolutely Buzzing’ After First Racehorse Wins

The story also attracted attention away from racing because Wreck It Ronnie is part-owned by Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden. The colt, who races in the blue and white colours of Gary Gillies, was named after Foden’s son Ronnie.

Foden was unable to be at Goodwood, but Gillies revealed that the England international had been following events while away on Champions League duty.

“Phil is away with the Champions League at the moment, so all the paperwork side of things is going to be done when we get back. He’s absolutely buzzing in the group chat – this is his first racehorse.”

It proved some introduction to racehorse ownership for Foden, with Wreck It Ronnie’s first victory immediately earning the colt a place in British racing history.

The story also attracted attention away from racing because Wreck It Ronnie is part-owned by Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden. The colt, who races in the blue and white colours of G

Shortest-Priced Beaten Favourites in British Racing History

Najidi Storm’s defeat moved him ahead of Doom and Royal Forest as the shortest-priced loser recorded in British racing.

Doom was beaten at 1-25 at Ripon in 2023, ending a 75-year period in which Royal Forest’s defeat at the same price at Ascot in 1948 had remained the benchmark. Najidi Storm’s Goodwood loss now sits at the top of a list containing several remarkable upsets stretching back to the nineteenth century.

Horse	Course	Date	Finishing Position	SP
Najidi Storm	Goodwood	2026	2nd	1-33f
Doom	Ripon	2023	2nd	1-25f
Royal Forest	Ascot	1948	2nd	1-25f
Saucebox	Airdrie	1855	2nd	1-20f
Caller Ou	Liverpool	1864	2nd	1-20f
Kilwarlin	Derby	1886	2nd	1-20f
The Sinner	Manchester	1887	2nd	1-20f
Jerry M	Newbury	1909	2nd (remounted)	1-20f
Bayardo	Goodwood	1910	2nd	1-20f
Prince Palatine	Newmarket	1912	2nd	1-20f
Glendower	Chepstow	1947	Unseated Rider	1-20f

Doom and Royal Forest had previously shared the record, while the next group on the list were all sent off at 1-20. Najidi Storm’s 1-33 starting price therefore puts Tuesday’s result in a category of its own.

What Next For Wreck It Ronnie?

Despite immediately becoming one of racing’s most talked-about horses, Pike is in no rush to map out Wreck It Ronnie’s next appearance. The trainer believes there is still significant development to come after just three career starts.

“He had two starts on the all-weather, but he’s a bit of a handful at home so that was just to get him on track and give him a nice experience. We’re not sure what we’ll do with him next. He’s going to get better with another year on his back because he’s still very raw.”

Najidi Storm, meanwhile, remains a lightly raced colt with only two starts behind him. His Goodwood defeat will inevitably follow him because of the extraordinary starting price, but his pedigree and debut performance mean there will still be considerable interest when the Juddmonte runner next appears.

FAQs

What price was Najidi Storm when he lost at Goodwood?

Najidi Storm was sent off as the 1-33 favourite at Goodwood. His defeat made him the shortest-priced loser in recorded British racing history.

Which horse beat Najidi Storm?

Wreck It Ronnie beat Najidi Storm by a length and a half. The Charlie Pike-trained colt was sent off at 10-1 and was ridden by Kieren Fox.

Who owns Wreck It Ronnie?

Wreck It Ronnie races for Gary Gillies, who shares ownership of the horse with Manchester City and England footballer Phil Foden. The colt is named after Foden’s son, Ronnie.

Which horse previously held the record for the shortest-priced defeat?

Doom and Royal Forest jointly held the previous record after both were beaten at odds of 1-25. Doom lost at Ripon in 2023, while Royal Forest’s defeat came at Ascot in 1948.

Can I book Goodwood horse racing hospitality with Eventmasters?

Yes. Eventmasters offers official hospitality for the Qatar Goodwood Festival, which returns from Tuesday 27th to Saturday 31st July 2027. A range of restaurant and private hospitality options are available for the five days of racing.