Another Barney Curley thread

[Desert Orchid]

I see the RP has an item about Barney Curley today with contributions by ex-forumite James Knight (Coral odds compiler and 'The Dark Knight' on here for a long time).

It must be a quiet time in the RP office if they're doing 'him' again.

I don't think there is anything new in the item apart from JK's opinions and professional perspective but I was just wondering where we each stand in our opinion of Curley? After all, it's been a while since he was discussed on here.

I used to admire him as a bookie basher but could never quite take to any notion that cheating or doping might have been involved. I can't help being suspicious about the idea of horses going off the radar for an extended period before suddenly storming back on the track.

The Luck On Sunday interview a couple of years back portrayed him as a reformed character who was contrite about shafting people all through his professional life but the cynic in me wondered if that was merely a tactic to get donations for his Direct Aid for Africa charity. It also said his days of landing monster gambles were over, that he had retired from that to focus on his charity.

I wouldn't have any strong opinion one way or another if he were to land another one. As ordinary punters we are not privy to the kind of info that would enable us to profit from it and I don't bet on the kind of races he targets. On the other hand, relieving the bookmakers of seven-figure (or even eight-figure) sums 90% of which went straight to his charity would strike me as bordering on noble and a more worthy destination for money that almost certainly originated among ordinary punters.

There a chance some of the older guys on here know him personally or at least have had one-to-one dealings with him but it is a quiet Tuesday morning and I'm wondering what people think of Curley.

 

[Therightroad]

http://greyhoundstar.co.uk/razor-ashmore-story-mark-pierrepont/

Not about barney Curley but the above is a very good read about pulling off a gamble in the greyhound world in recent years , hopefully I’m not going too off topic for you DO ..... many of us were reared on the yellow Sam story but in more recent years there was a lot of price cutting due to perceived Curly gambles which were an excuse to cut prices

 

[Colin Phillips]

He doesn't appeal to me. I certainly don't think he is punter friendly.

Not my idea of a Robin Hood.

 

[walsworth]

I'm not in favour of the strokes he has pulled over the years but he is by no means the only one trying to deceive the handicapper.

 

[Danny]

I have no sympathy with regards bookmakers and anyone who can give them a hiding fair play. As for Curley very simply a cheat and very good at it, I've seen plenty over the years try it who weren't so good and completely did their brains punting their own horses. One memorable occasion was when the Ensnare lads were laying their own horse because he wasn't off an inch, Ensnare had other ideas though and pulled the jockey's arms out overtaking half the field on the wide outside at Wolverhampton putting him into a position where the jock had to be seen to be making half an effort and that was enough, Ensare bolted up I'm not sure what damage he caused them in total but the owners brother got hit for 37k and that was pretty much game over for him. Like Colin though I don't think any of them do it with any consideration for the punter, yes they rob the bookies but they also pull the pants down of the average guy trying to have a fair bet. I once got savagely done out of a large sum by a double Noel Quinlan gamble at Wolverhampton 2 horses with no form one off for a long while both were punted off the boards and both won I had the 2nd to both in a tusky e/w double myself. So while on ATR they were lording the genius of it all I was just thinking that cnut cheating just did me out of 5 figures and I can guarantee I needed it more than he did at the time. I think there are very few people blindfolded to the fact the game is fairly bent, so if you participate knowing that then you just have to take it on the chin when on the wrong end of it whether that be on a non jigger or when you get nutted by one on the job.

So in fairness I have no time for the bookies or really for the wealthy corrupt bandits, gangsters who rig the game just to laugh at the working people who try to play fair. Much like a gang war I don't mind if they all destroy each other its the decent people in the middle of it who get caught in the crossfire who tend to get my sympathy.

Make no mistake about it though its only like any other business. I went to a Charity do with my Wife's bosses who are both multi millionaires in their own right and I watched one of them cheat at a charity game to get some free champagne. I called her on it and said did you really just cheat to win that ? She said of course I did, I cheat at everything, how do you think I got to where I am.