Loyal Huddersfield Town fans were celebrating another minor sporting miracle – a first-time-out victory for club themed racehorse Terrier Spirit.

The unfancied three-year-old defied tasty odds of 16-1 to bolt in at Doncaster on Saturday.

While some Town fans couldn’t resist a pound or two on the aptly-named colt, its owner – professional gambler Richard Ward – was left slightly embarrassed.

Richard, who runs Huddersfield-based syndicate BGC Racing, had given Examiner readers his tips for Derby day – but advised against a punt on Terrier Spirit.

Richard bravely went against odds-on Derby favourite Saxon Warrior and advised an each-way bet on Roaring Lion instead.

He was proved right as the favourite faltered and Roaring Lion (6-1) came home in third to reward each-way backers.

Richard Ward of BGC Racing, professional gambler and racehorse syndicate owner.

But Richard just couldn’t fancy Terrier Spirit and didn’t think it had a chance.

“I honestly thought we had made a £40,000 mistake in buying the horse,” said Richard. “I didn’t want to encourage people to back it first time out.

“It hadn’t shown us much at home though we’d been for a racecourse gallop at Southwell.

“All I can think is that the horse’s sire Kodiac loved soft ground and it was soft at Doncaster. He’s made fools of us but horses can make fools of you. It’s not an exact science.”

The shock win matched Richard’s Leeds United-themed horse’s first-time-out win. Marchingontogether, bought for just £800, won at Leicester on its first run and was snapped up by a billionaire Qatari sheikh, Sheikh Fahad al-Thani, for a undisclosed sum described as potentially “life-changing.”

Town fan and club sponsor Richard now reckons Terrier Spirit is worth a six-figure sum. He hopes to interest Town chairman Dean Hoyle, understood to have recently bought a share in a racehorse.