Horse racing has been a staple of Irish sport for centuries; it’s one of the few sports in the world in which the underdog regularly gets one over on the bookies' favourites. It makes it a riveting sport even for casual fans, and for punters who like to have a flutter, it’s the underdog that can often yield the greatest returns and excitement.

While it’s not always the case, underdog horses and small stables are stories that go hand in hand. Once a stable cultivates a winning mentality, it can have a trickle-down impact on the jockeys, trainers and horses that call it home.

However, for eagle-eyed punters, spotting these small stables before they get to this stage can provide real value for money, and with the proliferation of social media experts and DIY tipsters, social media has become a favoured hunting ground for those who are after 24/7 horse racing content.

The power of online media

Although horse racing is a sport that has been a permanent part of the online gambling world, and is one of the few sports that has had wall-to-wall coverage in certain sections of the Irish sporting media, the rise of the internet has meant that any punter with a camera and a penchant for narcissism is able to do full length breakdowns of the latest meets.

We’re not being mean-spirited here, of course, and we mean it in jest – some social media figures can call the horses and the underdogs just as competently as some of the big names on TV.

However, the emergence of live horse betting has added another incentive for social media gurus, as they aim to use their reach as a form of affiliate marketing, and onboard punters using their link or promo code. For punters who can browse through the range of betting markets available, and use tools, tips and guides to do so, it becomes that tad bit easier to find the small stables and underdog horses that can provide real value on race day.

Notable Irish underdog horses

Nick Rockett winning this year’s Grand National at 33/1 was one of two big underdog wins for Willie Mullins this year. Obviously, to say he has a small stable is a total disservice to one of the great trainers of modern horse racing, but the Grand National win was one that few that people predicted. Mullins was confident going in, but so are most trainers before the world’s biggest steeple chase.

100/1 shot Poniros at Cheltenham was another standout moment for his stable this year, and although there were plenty of punters who claimed to have had a few euros on it, you’d have been hard-pressed to find anyone who was backing the horse before the race.

It’s a great bit of organic advertising for the industry when horses with these odds defy their underdog status and come out on top. In no other professional sport or competition do you find odds of 33/1 or 100/1 coming in.

So, even for punters who have a passing interest in horse racing and might not have the same level of passion as some of the more ardent fans out there, these mammoth odds and the horses, trainers and jockeys that overcome them are a true testament to the spirit of the sport.

Final thoughts

Underdog horses will always be in fashion, and it’s one of the key reasons why so many casual fans enjoy a punt or two on the Grand National. While these big events may garner global attention, on a domestic level, it’s essential that funding remains in place so that smaller stables and underdogs can reach their full potential.

The urgent need to increase prize money in Irish racing has been a recurring issue raised by several trainers and jockeys over the past few years. On a grassroots level, the demand is there, and greater investment at this level helps smaller stables flourish due to the higher prize money – in theory, at least.

Due to the size of the market, finding a 100/1 underdog is like seeking the proverbial needle in a haystack, and the tipsters and punters – and sometimes even the pros – get it wrong more than they get it right.

However, it’s this unpredictability that means there’s always going to be an aura and intrigue surrounding the sport that is almost impossible to replicate in other competitions. As long as small stables and underdogs are getting the plucky wins once in a blue moon, then there’s going to be plenty of interest from punters and the media for years to come.