Mike Parcej, described by some as the ‘Phileas Fogg of racing’ is a prolific racegoer and passionate fan of the sport with some strong opinions about the game and the experience of attending the races in the UK and beyond.
Newcastle-born and-bred Paul Willis has lived in the USA since 1984 but started his sporting life working with his on-course bookmaking father in the Silver Rings of the North but venturing as far south as the Epsom Derby, working the floor, clerking and tic tacking. He was also a talented footballer, a contemporary of Paul Gascoigne signed to Newcastle United up to Under 19’s. Paul then moved to the USA where he won awards for soccer, set up his own football club and championed steeplechasing i...
Head of trading at TTP (Trade The Prices) Steve Couling is an odds compiler and ex greyhound trainer who has enjoyed an innovative career compiling prices for the industry on many sports including German Ice Hockey and Basketball as well as more conventional horses and greyhounds. He was pivotal to the rise of Stan James and the introduction of BOG. His story is a fascinating one, in four parts.
Ex- Jockey now top bloodstock agent Tom Malone has purchased over 3000 winners for clients including Grand National Winner One For Arthur, Gold Cup winner Native River and Royal Ascot winner My Dream Boat. In this three part interview, he talks about his humble beginnings, time as a jockey, point to points and the big money world of bloodstock.
Birmingham-born and bred journalist and author Chris Pitt has turned his childhood fascination with racing, fuelled by visits to the long time gone Birmingham races, into a career. His passion for racing has taken him all around the world, to racecourses long since forgotten and a wedding at the races. Here’s the fascinating story of Chris Pitt.
#BettingPeople: Jonathan Powell has been a racing correspondent for the News of the World, Sunday People, Sunday Express, Sunday Times, and the Mail on Sunday as well as writing books on Bob Champion, Paul Nicholls, David Nicholson, Frankie Dettori, ‘tidied up’ autobiographies of Jenny Pitman and Patrick Veitch, not to mention Desert Orchid and Monksfield. He’s also been involved with the IJF and the son of a Great Train Robber and guarded a racehorse armed with a shotgun. Phew. Meeting Jonathan...
Professional punter Shane is considered by many to be the shrewdest judge in Ireland whose opinions make the market. He started his working life working in a betting shop before taking the plunge to work in Paddy Power’s trading room. After four years he jumped shop taking the plunge as a full time professional punter and has never looked back. Simon Nott meets Shane Reville.
Professional punter Jeff Laughton has been beating the bookies professionally for almost 20 years. His apprenticeship was an unusual one, he started working life as a policeman as part of the team that caught the Yorkshire Ripper, was a DJ while still a policeman, ran an entertainment business that used to pay Gary Barlow £60 to perform at one of their clubs then became a professional punter and successful owner. Simon Nott meets Jeff Laughton.
Dave is a freelance racing and betting journalist that writes for GeeGeez.com and The Sporting Life, writes paddock notes for ‘Blue Delta’ works as a frontman for racecourse bookmakers and gets a few quid punting too. Here’s his story. Meeting Dave Massey with Simon Nott.
Ian Watkinson’s 13 year career as a national hunt jockey ended with a near fatal fall at Towcester in 1979, cutting short a career that included winning eight times on Tingle Creek, five times on Night Nurse and three on Sea Pigeon. He was of the old school of hard man jump jockeys, strapping broken bones in order to take the next ride and a social life to match the rough and tumble on course. In four parts the fascinating story of an iron man jockey. Meeting IAN WATKINSON with Simon Nott....
#BettingPeople: Luiz Cunha has recently launched ‘Pedigree To Win’ which is an added tool to the punters’ armoury highlighting the most likely winners of races purely on their bloodlines. This service is a culmination of a 45-year labour of love studying the pedigree of horses. Luiz, father of Newmarket trainer Dylan, has advised trainers and owners to highly successful purchases over the years and offers the same service now on one to one basis. pedigreetowin.co.uk. Meeting Luiz Cunha with Simo...
#BettingPeople: Sir Rupert Mackeson, aka ‘The Bad Baronet’, makes his second appearance within the #BettingPeople series. Whilst there’s plenty of his personal story left to tell, this interview is predominantly centred around his latest book ‘Frankie Dettori’s British Classic Winners’ published under his pen name Rupert Collens by Pan And Sword but with plenty of personal memories eased out of this colourful Octogenarian too. Meeting Rupert Mackeson with Simon Nott.
Barry Beasley started in the betting business in 1975 working for Joe Coral, then the Tote, has been a commission agent, worked with City Index and been a private card marker and odds compiler since 1989 as well as still freelancing for the Racing Post. This is his story including why he’s been daubed ‘The Weatherman’. Meeting Barry Beasley with Simon Nott.
Trustee of Racing Welfare, Iggy’s Fund and 792nd Point Of Light Winner Richard Farquhar had a lifetime in racing before raising £500,000 ‘Walking The Courses’. Here’s his story with Simon Nott…
‘Juppy’ as he is affectionally known has been in the betting game all his life. He started working on course back in the 1990s at picnic races where they’d turn over large amounts of money in lively markets. After moving to London he worked with spread betting firm Sporting Index before relocating to Brighton and working for PanBet. Now back in Melbourne, he’s a freelancer on course working for bookmakers as well as punting. Juppy was active at this year’s ‘Call Of The Card’ and has even recorde...
Professional Punter Paul Daily fell in love with racing after being taken to the races on a random Saturday, he was hooked by the buoyant betting ring. He went on to learn as much about the game, and particularly winning betting thereafter. However, when he left school he went on to form a flourishing business trading currency but continued to be absorbed by racing and striving to bet successfully. In 2008 he sold his business and took the plunge betting for a living. During this time he develop...
Peter Lawrence has been a professional punter since his teens and a one time on-course bookmaker. He found he had an aptitude for finding winners when his father made him record his bets.
Graham Thorner was champion jump jockey in the 1970/71 season with 74 winners and won the Grand National in 1972 on the gambled on Well To Do. In this series of four interviews, he tells his fascinating story to Simon Nott.
Simon Nott talks to the Vegas sports betting legend Steven ‘Fats’ Diano about his career corralling runners for a mysterious benefactor and working with Billy Walters before going it alone and establishing himself as a legend of sports betting in his own right.
Australian Libby Hopwood is a former champion apprentice then successful professional jockey and rider of 324 career winners before a tragic fall during a race ended her career. Since then she has forged a career as a jockey’s manager, Sky TV presenter and tipster, as well as working on the ground with horses and running an ‘Only Fans’ page.
JEFF SEALEY #BettingPeople: Jeff Sealey owns and runs the Bicester schooling track, which has produced two Derby winners, two Oaks winners, one Trafalgar Cup winner, thirteen Produce Stakes winners, five Springbok winners. Following Star’s sponsorship of the venue – saving the track from closure – Carly Philpott visited Jeff at the track to understand more about the history of Bicester, see dogs being schooled, and gather input from owners, trainers and breeders. Meeting Jeff Sealey, with Carly ...
#BettingPeople: Jon Roberts is a professional football trader, winning since 2010 and professional since 2017. In 2014 he launched his ‘Predictology’ website helping others to win alongside him. Originally from the UK Jon now enjoys the trappings of his success living in The Philippines.
#BettingPeople: ‘Spinning Mick’ has been in the on-course bookmaking game since 1987 when he was 14 years old. He’s now Chairman of ARB and a Director of the FRB heavily involved in bookmaking’s politics as well as earning his living from on-course bookmaking.
#BettingPeople: Mattie Batchelor has been described as one of racing’s good guys. He’s enjoyed a career spanning over 20 years and ridden over 300 winners. He’s also well known in racing as an hilarious raconteur and presenter something he’s looking to pursue after hanging up his boots. Meeting Mattie Batchelor with Simon Nott.
#BettingPeople: Craig Day is well known on the greyhound racing scene for having owned some top dogs, to bookmakers for having landed some notable touches and the pool fraternity for his prowess with a cue and having the nerve to back himself to win.
#BettingPeople: Joe Oliver has bet on course under the name Dick Oliver since the 1970s and has had his son and Daughter working with him over the years. Joe is now officially ‘retired’ after Dax took over at the helm. Here’s their story. Policeman, banker, bookie, the story of the Dick Oliver firm.
#BettingPeople: In a Q&A Special, Johnny answers questions from social media and beyond, in three parts, nothing ducked.
#BettingPeople: Jamie Benson is a sometimes PR man and man behind Tote Fantasy. He’s also the man punters have to beat with the Tote’s ‘Beat Benson’ promotion, where if you beat him, you cop, so it’s a high pressure job, but he’s up so far. In this interview Jamie talks about the public school, university role into the City at age 21. His real love, ingrained by his Father and famous in racing Grandfather is the horses for which he has a passion and went on to make his career.
#BettingPeople: Professional Punter Johnny Dineen talks to Simon Nott about his career as a professional punter, from his early days clerking at weekends for bookmakers to betting on course and now purely punting for a living, in five parts.
#BettingPeople: Tipster and Broadcaster Tony Calvin has worked all of his adult life in the racing industry involved with both The Racing Post and Betfair. He’s also become known as a big personality on TV and social media. In this interview, he talks about it all and more. Meeting Tony Calvin with Simon Nott.
