Racing Stories

barjon

barjon

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Many years ago when I was nobbut a young Jack-the-lad I worked in an office in London’s Berwick Street at the heart of the Berwick Street market. One day I nipped into the barbers under our office for a haircut and just getting out of the chair was Alex Bird who you may remember as a very successful professional gambler.

“Oh, hello Jon” said Alex and we exchanged a few pleasantries. The barber couldn’t wait to get me in his chair. “Do you know Alex Bird?” he asked. “Yes,” I replied “he’s a good friend of my father.”

“Got any tips, then?” He wanted to know. Well, as it happens, I had been waiting for a 2-y-o called Fair Saint to run again at Chester after I watched him run there for the first time and suddenly get to grips with the course and finish well into fourth. It was running that afternoon. I passed this on to the barber and it won at 13/2.

When I had my next haircut the same barber was keen to get me in his chair and I mentioned another horse - whose name escapes me now - which also won. He must have been impressed and clearly thought these had come straight from Alex Bird. I’m embarrassed to say I didn’t disabuse him.

I had to work away, so it was a few months before I visited the barbers shop again. He got me into his chair quicker than you could say boo and wanted to know if I had anything. I didn’t, but I used to spend the winter evenings assessing the Lincoln and had come up with a horse for it called Majority Blue. So I told him about it.

A few weeks later the day of the Lincoln dawned and I popped into the betting shop - next door but one to the barbers - to have a bet and was astounded to find that I couldn’t get a bet on Majority View. The bookie had been swamped with business for the horse and it seemed the whole of Berwick Street market was on it. Gulp!

Needless to say Majority Blue came a poor eleventh and I never dared to show my face in the barbers again.
 
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Labaik, my tiny part in his Cheltenham success. ( just for Granger)

The first winning racehorse I had a share in was Espartano ,trained by Tom Hogan.
Twice successful as a juvenile when owned by Harry Findlay and trained by Jamie Osborne, he started fav for Windsor Castle Stakes, ran in Railway Stakes when Holy Roman Emperor beat Excellent Art and duly had his head fried.
By the time we got him he was rated 50 , a shadow of his former self and all bar Tom had lost faith in him.
Left to his own devices and not hit he loved passing tired horses so came good in two appprentice handicaps in Leopardstown when ridden by Conor O'Farrell and Paul Townsend.
2009 when he finally looked like a racehorse, rated 70 and full of himself he refused to race. Leopardstown, Killarney ,wherever he went until finally he was banned for 60 days.
Given away to flap he finally consented to race when a young Jack Kennedy found the key to get him interested.
Years later when Labaik, after three refusals gave Jack his first Festival winner I remembered with pride the bit role I had in his success; though only I realised it.
Unfortunately it was not until the following evening that I met An Capall at Cheltenham to share the story; otherwise The Examiner would have had an Exclusive inside story !
Six degrees of separation how are you.
 
I first encountered Joe Donnelly the first year I went racing to Leopardstown, 1984.
Staying at an Opus Dei residence near The Dropping Well pub the racecourse was a twenty minute cycle away.
A fellow resident Jack Casey of Casey Furniture spoke of his bookie neighbour, Joe Donnelly who had ordered a Porsche direct from the factory and when it arrived at Cork port duly returned it was not the Rebel County shade of red !
It was the day El Gran Senor won the 2000 Gns and Sadlers Wells won the Derby Trial at Leop.
A new bookie hit the ring like a colossus.
Dressed like Terry Ramsden in double breasted suit, slip on shoes and crombie with long , well groomed hair flowing over his collar he was quite a sight.
His staff were as well dressed but the Coal Quay accents gave them away; I had never seen or heard anything quite like it before or since.
The only pity was that the crowd was not there to feed off his enthusiasm but that is flat racing for you.
 
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