Katy Nowaitee dealt out a severe beating to the bookmakers as she defied an absence of more than six months to secure victory in the Tote Cambridgeshire today.
The first leg of the 'autumn double' maintained its reputation as one of the biggest punting events of the Flat season as a huge public gamble was justified on the filly.
Available at 12-1 in the morning, the money was ladled on Katy Nowaitee forcing her down to 6-1 at the off.
She was not inconvenienced by racing small group on the far side, going on to defeat Nooshman, the 11-2 joint favourite, by one and three-quarter lengths.
Triple Dash was three and half lengths further back in third with Man O`Mystery fourth.
The Tote`s Rob Hartnett said ruefully: 'This has to be one of the biggest gambles of the season.
'It`s always nice to see punters win once in a while but they just seem to win every big handicap at the moment.'
The gamble was engineered by trainer Peter Harris who earlier this week, wearing his millionaire businessman`s hat, finalised a deal for his company Bourne Leisure to buy Butlins and other holiday interests from Rank for #700 million.
'You could say it`s been a good week,' he grinned. 'We`ve planned this race for her since June.'
John Reid, winner of the Cambridgeshire previously on Smartset in 1979, boldly opted to stay on the far rail while the majority of the 35-runner field opted to stay in the middle.
The tactics proved to be spot on as Katy Nowaitee took a strangehold with a quarter of a mile to travel.
Nooshman emerged as the biggest challenger in the middle but he was never going to catch Katy Nowaitee in the final furlong.
'I had no doubts about staying on the far side. When I got to the front with two furlongs to go I was absolutely cantering and confident we would win,' said Reid.
Harris said: 'John was very keen to stay over there. He thought it would waste too much ground coming over from the far side - and he`s definitely done the right thing.'
Katy Nowaitee had been on the sidelines since an easy victory in the Lincoln consolation race at Doncaster at the end of March.
'She had a sore throat after that race and we put her away for the Hunt Cup,' said Harris.
'But when she came back into work she pulled a muscle in her quarters that prevented her running at Ascot. It was around that time we decided to go for the Cambridgeshire.
'We`ve had a chiropractor giving her a lot of massage and that seems to have done the trick.
'She has been working well at home - you could say she`s been going consistently well - and though she`s only worked with other horses three times we did feel she was Listed class.'
Harris confirmed that Katy Nowaitee will continue racing for the Stable Maites syndicate next year.
'This race was the plan as they say. We`ll have to see what the handicapper does but it could well be that she will going for Listed races next season,' he said.
Nooshman, another well-backed horse, gave his supporters a good run for their money in marked contrast to the other joint-favourite Bound For Pleasure.
John Gosden`s charge was never seen with a chance and trailed in well behind in 24th.
Bound For Pleasure`s jockey Francis Norton said: 'He was never going to win at any stage. I just didn`t have the horse.'
