AN excited young fan tugged furiously at her father's sleeve and pointed at Quixall Crossett as he performed his warm-up trot.

"That's the horse that always loses," she shouted above the din, as he began to gather speed.

The public had turned out in thousands to see how the 16-year-old racehorse would mark his 100th race, after a track record of 99 undisputed defeats, and they could not hide the fact they anticipated another glorious loss.

The commentator paid his respects too.

"Here's Quixall going for his 100th loss. One thing you can say about this horse is that he's consistent!"

As the bustling Sunday afternoon crowd paid homage to the best loser in the country, and bookies near-enough wrote him off their slates, it was not surprising the odds were stacked against him.

But impervious to the wry comments bandied around Southwell racecourse, near Nottingham, Quixall galloped on the track in the stunning purple silks Ted Caine's wife, Joy, had lovingly made with a budget of £2.50 for his first race.

The silks were a poignant statement for a horse who had continued to show a steely determination in competition - even when the chips were down.

Evading every racing triumph on a 12-year trot, he has come to symbolise the indomitable spirit of a truly good sport, and has gathered an international fan club of more than 300 supporters, while 7,000 have logged on to his website in the past year.

So impressive has his spirited stand against bad fortune been, that a mystery British film director is planning to make a feature film of Quixall's curious life story. The producer was there to witness his 100th race.

Both owner-trainer Ted and assistant trainer Geoff Sanderson were proud to bits of their trusty steed. Neither seemed particularly perturbed when Quixall mooched off the track after just a lap and a half, leaving number 13 - Secret Can't Say - to gallop to victory.

For Quixall means more to both men than any win would signify. It was the horse who brought Geoff out of his black depression when his two-year old son, Adam, died, and it was him who cheered Ted's life up when his 26-year-old son, Malcolm, was killed in a combine harvester accident.

"How can anyone call him a loser when he saved me from spending my life staring at the carpet. He's a winner to me, even if he has lost this race," said Geoff, 48, from Thirsk, North Yorkshire, with tears in his eyes.

Geoff, who is the founder of Quixall's fan club, is quick to add that the try-hard racehorse has managed to scoop £8,500 winnings from coming second, third and fourth during his career.

"Everyone assumes he finishes last, but there have been a number of times when he has come in front of other horses," said Geoff.

While Quixall may not have proved to be the North-East's answer to Red Rum for Ted, he has brought him a lot of joy over the years.

The 58-year-old owner seemed as laid-back after the race as Quixall did trotting casually on the track.

"You wouldn't want a dozen Quixalls, but then he is a one-off, completely unique, and we love him for it.