Help, I can’t think of this word!!

[Chumssss]

Okay, not an Aibu really, but I am
desperately trying to think of a word. It describes someone who is an underdog, not expected to win, but inserted anyway and they run away with it etc. I feel it has a Q or a Z in it somewhere. I’ve tried lots of Google searches, but can’t get the right one to get the word. Can anyone help??

Thank you all so much. I think it’s ringer, which has neither a Q or a Z!

Quasimodo?

I thought a ringer is usually an unknown (to the race/match organisers) who is not thought to be any real competition but is in fact an ace or professional who wins easily.

A ringer isnt an underdog, it's someone who is proficient and probably shouldn't be playing for the team.

Agreed!

A ringer isn't an underdog though it's a player brought in to give an advantage.

Sandbagger, Hustler (esp pool), Bandit or Handicap Bandit (esp golf)

So, every year we watch the darts on Sky. No interest any other time of the year, it just has become a Christmas tradition. There is a guy playing tonight who seems to have come from nowhere and is doing really well. That’s what made me think of it. So he’s not really a ringer, because he’s obviously done well to get where he is, but that’s what started me thinking about it. Ringer is probably the word that was in my head (slightly wine-addled), but not really the right word for the fit in question.

*guy in question, not fit in question

Underdog?

Josh Rock? Or Luke Humphries? Both have had a good year on the euro and pro tours. both came up through the youth programme

Do you think you might be thinking of ' 'rank outsider' - closer to your original meaning and has an r to start?

Only understood by AUstralians but "doing a Bradbury"?

Wildcard?

I would describe as an outlier

Gazump?

I was thinking darque horze as well

Josh Rock, he played well. Although I’m Welsh so should have wanted Clayton to win! Everyone loves an underdog though. He’s the one who made me think of the word though. I’m sure it must be ringer, even though it doesn’t fit xx

Longshot?

@WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll

The "Cassandra" of the group?

Ringer means a pro masquerading as an amateur.

Jammy fucker.

A good example is perhaps Emma Raducanu (ranked 150th in world) winning 2021 US Open.
Qualifier
Wild card

Quasimodo was a ringer.