Punter pulls trigger early on multi and comes up $340,770 short

Hardham wins Race 9 during Melbourne Racing at Flemington Racecourse on Saturday. Photo / Getty Images.

There's pulling the wrong rein and then there's pulling the wrong rein and your whole punting world comes crashing down.

The perils of "Cashing Out" are all so clear, if you're in for the fight you should see it out.

One punter at Flemington on Saturday afternoon clearly wasn't after they had placed a $90 TAB five-leg multi the previous evening at odds of $3861 for a potential collect of $347,490.

The punter still made a very tidy sum, but there will always be that element of "what if" to ensure many restless nights.

This is how the punter's afternoon unfolded (legs in order):

1. The customer selected Scales Of Justice to run a place in Race 4 at Flemington. The Perth galloper fulfilled his obligation by finishing second to Redkirk Warrior in the Bobbie Lewis Quality.

2. Next, the customer chose Catchy to win Race 5, the Danehill Stakes, which she duly did.

3. Then, the customer really backed themselves and selected outsider Sword Of Light to win Race 6, the Let's Elope Stakes, which came home in an upset result. But, by this stage, the customer must have started to feel the heat realising their previous winner had just injected some serious coin into the equation. With two legs still remaining, the customer cashed out for $6719.09. A more than satisfactory day at the office, but trouble was still up the racetrack and travelling fast.

4. Much to the customer's despair, last year's Melbourne Cup winner Almandin won Race 8, the Japan Racing Association Trophy.

5. Word at the track was Hardham was the best horse in David Brideoake's stable by some way, he then came out and won the last race on the card. Bang! The final leg of the multi is home.

Instead of winning $347,490, the punter had settled for $340,770.91 less.

Saturday's chaotic Cash Out follows hot on the heels of one AFL punter who had two digs at a multi early in the year for a combined outlay of $173 to return $225,235 if Richmond, Melbourne Storm and AFL star Dustin Martin all landed in first place in their individual quests for glory.

But, then in a moment of madness, while watching a Richmond game in Round 15, he cashed out of the two bets, the $143,335 potential result for just $317.35 and $81,900 for $181.35.

As it stands, that trio is well placed to salute.

Like horse racing, sometimes you've just got to let it ride!