Top jumps jockey Tony McCoy had bookmakers running for cover at Ascot today, winning five races from his six rides at combined odds of 127-1.
Midway through the afternoon, after McCoy had ridden the first three winners, nervous layers began to fear the worst - that the brilliant Irishman might emulate the feat of Frankie Dettori at the same track in 1996 when he rode all seven winners at a big flat race meeting.
The combined odds that day amounted to over 25,000-1 as Dettori's "Magnificent Seven" took an estimated Stg£40 million out of bookmakers coffers, sending some out of business.
But meltdown was averted on Saturday when his mount in the fourth race - the 5-2 favourite Westender - could only finish eighth.
Undaunted, McCoy won the last two races to make it 192 for the season, in which he looks bound to be crowned champion again.
Saturday's winners - four of them for top trainer Martin Pipe - were Tarxien (8-11 favourite), Wahiba Sands (9-4), Shooting Light (5-2 fav), Seebald (evens fav) and Alvino (9-4 fav).