Alan Shearer owned incredible 50-1 Cheltenham winner – but missed it take victory

Newcastle legend Alan Shearer missed arguably the proudest moment of his career as a horse owner after missing a 50-1 winner at Cheltenham

Newcastle legend Alan Shearer was no stranger to defying expectations throughout his Premier League career. However, one of his most remarkable triumphs as an outsider occurred at Cheltenham when his horse, Akilak, romped to victory as a 50-1 long shot.

The Magpies hero wasn't present to witness his moment of triumph in 2005, though. This was because he was fulfilling his playing commitments with Newcastle as they took on Coventry City in the FA Cup fourth round that season.

It resulted in an unusual afternoon at St James' Park, where Shearer had shrewdly arranged for his friends and fellow co-owners to occupy his executive box. They subsequently relayed updates as events unfolded hundreds of miles away, keeping him informed when he came off at half-time.

The 55-year-old initially thought his mates were having him on when he witnessed some raucous scenes in the stand. The day proved even more rewarding as Newcastle triumphed 3-1 over Coventry, with Shearer netting the opening goal.

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"I once had a winner at Cheltenham, not at the Festival, but Trials Day, which was a 50-1 shot," he previously told Betfair. "Unfortunately, I was actually playing that day at St James's Park.

"We had a horse called Akilak, and the other owners, my mates, had gone down to watch the horse and half of my other mates were in my box during the game. Before the game, because I knew the race was going to happen during the first half, I said: 'When I look up when walking off at half-time, I need you to give me a clue as to whether it's won or not'."

Describing the moment he checked for the result, he continued: "I was walking off at half-time, looking at all of my pals in the box, and they were all going absolutely berserk, with their arms up in the air. I thought: 'These idiots are daft, they're winding me up'.

"But I got into the dressing room, the manager did his team talk, and then I snuck my phone into the toilet to see if I could check on the result! We won the match as well, so it was one of the better days. We went out to celebrate both wins afterwards - it was a great day!"

Beyond Akilak, Shearer previously shared ownership of Augusta Kate with golfer Lee Westwood and fellow Tyneside celebrities Ant and Dec. Willie Mullins trained the mare, which featured at the Cheltenham Festival in consecutive years during 2017 and 2018.

Reflecting on his Cheltenham experience, Shearer said: "I've been to Cheltenham with Augusta Kate, at the Festival. It was amazing to go into the parade ring, with the other owners and trainers, it was brilliant. It's a side you don't usually see as a punter - it was brilliant to experience."

Whether the former footballer will attend this year's Festival in person remains unclear, though his presence will certainly be felt in some capacity. A horse named Shearer, named after the ex-England striker, is set to compete on Friday.

Shearer will lace up to participate in the St. James's Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters' Chase. And he'll be hoping to go a few better having secured fifth place in the same race last year.