Barney Curley

Well I`ll raise my hat to him. I`ve had a few touches but the work he`s put into this and the skillset he showed is outstanding . getting on would be one of the hardest parts. A legend
 
I'd say the buzz of it played as much of a role as the few Bob he made.

Intrigued as to how they got so much on and how many involved.

Greys assessment of how he operates in selecting his horses earlier was bang on.
 
granger said:
I'd say the buzz of it played as much of a role as the few Bob he made.

Intrigued as to how they got so much on and how many involved.

Greys assessment of how he operates in selecting his horses earlier was bang on.
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It's the patience he has too. Loads of trainers try similar with horses from Ireland but dump them soon after.
 
The Racing Post site seems to have deleted its report on the coup - an interesting editorial choice. Maybe it was all a dream and when everyone wakes up in the morning Alan King having some runners will really be a bigger story.
 
BennyB said:
This is a very well written and balanced piece. I would lean more towards the side of more harm than good, but the audacity and romance of these coups is indisputable. They aren't a victimless crime though.
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Was any crime committed?

Is any sport victimless?
 
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I was listening to Timeform radio late Tuesday afternoon and I'm sure David Johnson mentioned a couple of Barney Curley connections running and to keep an eye on the market. I thought I'd take a look at this yesterday morning but as usual work took over and I forgot about it. An opportunity lost on my part but Mr Curley is a 'legend' in my book and I hope he gets paid out in full.
 
Can admire the execution... I suppose

But will the bookies mind that much? Small price to pay for a further drfit to machines and football

The average day to day punter who is the markets bread and butter , will think what exactly?
 
clivex said:
Can admire the execution... I suppose

But will the bookies mind that much? Small price to pay for a further drfit to machines and football

The average day to day punter who is the markets bread and butter , will think what exactly?
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the day to punter should be in awe of the man.
 
pdleech said:
The Racing Post site seems to have deleted its report on the coup - an interesting editorial choice. Maybe it was all a dream and when everyone wakes up in the morning Alan King having some runners will really be a bigger story.
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Its on the front page of mine
 
Desert Orchid said:
Was any crime committed?

Is any sport victimless?
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I'm sure a few rules of racing were broken. Do you think those horses were running exclusively on their merits prior to yesterday?

Of course sports have no victims - the ones where everyone is trying and playing fairly within the rules.
 
BennyB said:
I'm sure a few rules of racing were broken. Do you think those horses were running exclusively on their merits prior to yesterday?

Of course sports have no victims - the ones where everyone is trying and playing fairly within the rules.
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Spot on
 
Do you think those horses were running exclusively on their merits prior to yesterday?
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The trick is to buy a half broken down horse that used to have talent and run it a few times on its current merits then give it a break and set about trying to fix or improve whatever ails it. It's quite transparent and no rules are broken.
 
BennyB said:
I'm sure a few rules of racing were broken. Do you think those horses were running exclusively on their merits prior to yesterday?

Of course sports have no victims - the ones where everyone is trying and playing fairly within the rules.
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Even in the very top races not every horse runs "entirely on its merits" and it isn't all that long ago certain yards were rumoured to have been backing their horse to be last in the Derby.

The horses in question may well have been running entirely on their merits in the losing races, depending on how you define it. If it's missed a gallop or three or been fed a bit less well it can run as hard as it can and still get nowhere near winning. There would be no suspicion of the horse being given 'an easy'.

Andy Murray wasn't at his peak this week. Was he playing entirely on his merits?

In other sports, football managers field players who aren't 100% fit while some players have been caught in betting scandals.

It's not hard to be suspicious of snooker matches, boxing contests or any other big sport. Downright skulduggery may be taking place in every tournament.

It's hard to have any sympathy with bookmakers. They are running our industry into the ground.

I can feel a bit sorry for punters who were on others in the respective races but plenty of others will have jumped on the bandwagon - which I suspect will have pleased Curley - and got a bit of a return.

Racing lore is as much about the great gambles as the great horses and these big coups do more good than harm
 
This is how the Irish Times is reporting the story. Hardly bad publicity for racing, quite the opposite:

Bookies take hit in ‘weapons grade coup’ on race track

Heavily-backed horses win millions for punters in bad day at the races for bookmakers
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Even in the very top races not every horse runs "entirely on its merits" and it isn't all that long ago certain yards were rumoured to have been backing their horse to be last in the Derby.
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Just because others are doing something, doesn't make it right.

The horses in question may well have been running entirely on their merits in the losing races, depending on how you define it. If it's missed a gallop or three or been fed a bit less well it can run as hard as it can and still get nowhere near winning. There would be no suspicion of the horse being given 'an easy'.

Andy Murray wasn't at his peak this week. Was he playing entirely on his merits?
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I think there is a world of difference. Murray is obviously trying his bollix off. He is using tournaments to achieve full fitness. That is very different from not performing well wilfully to get a lower handicap mark in order to win future races more easily.

In other sports, football managers field players who aren't 100% fit while some players have been caught in betting scandals.
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Again, there is a world of difference between these two scenarios. One is cheating, the other isn't. If a horse or player needs match practice, that is the way it is.

It's not hard to be suspicious of snooker matches, boxing contests or any other big sport. Downright skulduggery may be taking place in every tournament.
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This is true, but why does racing have such a bad reputation? Maybe because of Curley and his ilk?

It's hard to have any sympathy with bookmakers. They are running our industry into the ground.
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Two wrongs don't make a right.

I can feel a bit sorry for punters who were on others in the respective races but plenty of others will have jumped on the bandwagon - which I suspect will have pleased Curley - and got a bit of a return.
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OK, I don't know what to make of this point.

Racing lore is as much about the great gambles as the great horses and these big coups do more good than harm
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I agree that racing lore includes these great gambles, but maybe this is why the sport is marginalised. Do they really do more good than harm? I am not so sure.
 
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