My horse won at 300/1 - while I was stuck in a meeting

When Crokes Cross entered the history books of horse racing, her owner Kevin Mercer should have been there to cheer her on.

The seven-year-old mare equalled the UK racing record for the longest-priced winner at odds of 300/1.

But although the win happened at Kelso racecourse in the Scottish Borders - about 25 miles (40km) from Kevin's home in Fountainhall, he was not there to see it.

Instead, he was in a meeting for his work with Hawick-based animal feed company Harbro.

The 43-year-old only learned about the unexpected victory as his mobile began to light up with messages.

The purchasing and distribution manager grew up in the countryside so horses have always been part of his life and are now part of his career.

"Part of my job involves dealing with racehorse trainers to supply the feed into most of the huge number of racing yards in Scotland and the north of England," he said.

It was after sponsoring a race at Kelso - and enjoying the hospitality - that he and a group of friends decided to take a bigger role in the sport.

"They thought - after some drink - that it would be a good idea to try and get involved in ownership of horses," he explained.

They have had five or six horses with local trainer Stuart Coltherd since then as a syndicate of family and friends, but it is Kevin's name that is registered as co-owner of Crokes Cross alongside its trainer.

However, he was not at the track as it fought out a thrilling finish before taking the honours ahead of stablemate Changemyluck earlier this month.

"I wasn't at Kelso, I had a meeting at one of our production sites, so I was otherwise engaged that day," he said.

"I didn't actually tell any of the guys that I was in the meeting with that the horse was running."

He soon knew something had happened when the other members of his syndicate - which includes his mother, auntie, sister and friends he knows through football - started to contact him.

"Everyone was chuffed to bits and I'm sitting in a meeting with my phone on silent and it's lighting up and buzzing away with everyone trying to get in touch," he said.

"A little bit disappointed we weren't there, but these things happen, unfortunately."

There was some consolation, however, in the form of a £10 each-way bet he said he placed "more in hope than anything else". He won more than £3,000.

It was Crokes Cross' first run for Kevin and his friends and family and first with her new trainer.

She was the fourth horse to win for the syndicate but has gathered much more attention than any of the others.

"They've all meant something to us, but probably nobody else remembers," said Kevin.

"Whereas now you've got a horse that will always be etched in history books at Kelso and in British racing."

As for Crokes Cross, they have no precise plans on where she will run next but she is unlikely to be such a longshot.

"I think the days of 300/1 will be long gone," Kevin admitted.

The record she matched was only set a few months ago - at Exeter - when the Nigel Hawke-trained Blowers won at the same price.

Prior to that, it had stood at 250-1 for 35 years having been set by Equinoctial in 1990 - also at Kelso.

Racecourse managing director Jonathan Garratt said there was "no specific reason" the track threw up such results but added that good prize money attracted a mix of horses from both large and smaller yards.

"The chances of representatives from the larger yards can sometimes be overestimated, which can lead to other runners being exceptionally good value in the betting," he added.