AN Alcester man was crowned the winner of Tipstar 2016 after an "very impressive" TV appearance on Racing UK at Ascot.

Harry Allwood, aged just 21, impressed judges said his performance surpassed his 21 years.

The challenge, staged by Racing UK and The Sun, saw six finalists from more than 200 video entries go head-to-head at Ascot as each previewed and reviewed a race live on air with Tom Stanley and Lydia Hislop.

Although Allwood’s tip failed to hit the mark, the judges were unanimous in deciding that his TV punditry and presentation were worthy of the prize, which includes a live punditry slot on Racing UK, a column in The Sun, £1,000 and a Racing UK membership.

Allwood said: "I've always wanted to work in the racing industry and felt this competition was the perfect opportunity. I never expected to make the final six – I was jumping off the sofa when I discovered on Racing UK that I was in the final – but to actually win the whole thing, well it’s like a dream.

"My dad used to have shares in a few horses and took me racing from an early age. I've been hooked ever since. I generally do okay on the betting front and could talk about racing all day. I know the whole village backed me at 8-1 to win, so there could be a few celebrations."

One of the judges, Racing UK pundit Dave Nevison said: "There was a very high standard of finalists this year, and each had their own strengths. It’s incredibly hard to talk live on air, when there’s a camera and microphone in your face, especially if you’ve never encountered anything like that before.

"But it all came very naturally for Harry. He was relaxed, accurate, made a good case for his tip, and was someone who definitely fitted right in. For someone who is only 21, it was a very impressive performance indeed."

Tipstar offers the chance for would-be pundits to shine in the racing media spotlight with several previous finalists securing jobs in the racing industry.