With 105 races without a victory Celerity has amassed the longest losing run in the history of British and Irish racing but to trainer Lisa Williamson she is a complete superstar – and they have no plans of retiring her yet.
The seven-year-old had three runs in Ireland before moving to David Evans in November 2016. She made 21 appearances for Evans before joining Williamson a year later, and in her 105 starts, she has finished second seven times and third on eight occasions.
The closest she has come to victory was when a half length second at Ffos Las in 2017 when trained by Evans – ironically beaten by Your Gifted, trained by Williamson.
Quixall Crossett was the previous record holder having failed to win in 103 starts but the unwanted world record is held by Dona Chepa, a mare from Puerto Rico who was beaten 135 times in a row.
Celerity, however, has showed some promise in finishing third on her last two starts and the dream is alive that she could end the wait for a win at Haydock on Friday. Owner Rick Heath will be on course, just in case.
Williamson said: "She's definitely running better than she has been and she seems to be enjoying it a lot more. The owner is going to carry on with her as she gives him a hell of a lot of fun, she's got a home for life and when she retires he'll breed from her. She'll be with us all the way through.
"The owner's local so it's nice to go to Haydock. She seems to run better in stronger races and how she's never won a classified or a low-grade handicap I'll never know. We'll give it our best shot. The owner tried to put her in foal but she didn't take, so she's come back and if she were to win it'd be amazing."
The trainer added: "Celerity is a very funny horse. She's a box-walker and I'd say she looks like a female version of a stallion, she's huge. She looks incredible and she's a real character, everybody loves her. We all adore her. She's a yard favourite, big time."
Who was Quixall Crossett?
Quixall Crossett was a cult hero of the jumps game in the north throughout the 90s and into the new millennium.
As Geoff Sanderson, assistant to the hopeless old chaser’s Yorkshire trainer and breeder Ted Caine, once said, he was a wonderful jumper – "his only problem, really, is the bits in between the jumps". Racehorses simply don't come much slower.
In all, Quixall Crossett's career spanned more than 11 years. He made his debut at odds of 33-1 in a Catterick bumper in 1990, trailing home last of 18 finishers. In a further 102 track starts, for many of which he returned SPs of 500-1, two second-place finishes in staying novice chases were the best he ever mustered.
He was retired at 16 years of age in 2001 having become a byword for perennial losers but also having won the hearts of enough supporters to have his own fan club and website at a time when such distinctions were still novelties.
Thanks Bob. It's been a long time since I logged in. As luck would have it, I opened your post and took R200 e/way. Won like a 2/1 shot. Enjoyed it tremendously.
Celerity shocked racegoers at Haydock on Friday evening by finally shedding her maiden status at the 106th time of asking with a superb front-running victory under 7lb claimer Erika Parkinson.
The seven-year-old, trained by Lisa Williamson, had amassed the longest losing streak in British and Irish racing history having failed to score in her career that began at Dundalk in April 2016, eclipsing the record previously set by Quixall Crossett.
Thanks Bob. It's been a long time since I logged in. As luck would have it, I opened your post and took R200 e/way. Won like a 2/1 shot. Enjoyed it tremendously.
Even i won`t take the credit, well done Dave, brilliant call
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