Barney Curley, El Tiger

[Lone Wolf]

Barney is alright, but he’s also a hypocrite. I don’t mind him sticking the fingers up at the bookies, but he should be the last person to call anyone a ‘take out merchant’, as he has been a take out merchant from racing since he’s been involved in the sport. I will harbour a guess – and it is a guess – that he has taken millions more from racing than he’s contributed. One banana, two banana, i think Curley can probably afford to buy his own Island full of banana trees. I will need to get his book, as he is someone i do respect a bit.

As I understand it all the proceeds of his coup will be going to the longstanding charitable project he established many years ago in Africa

http://www.dafa.co.uk/About%20DAFA.htm

I was aware of his charitable organisation. However i’d imagine many of his earlier coups funded his own lifestyle. He was in this game for himself first and foremost. Donating money doesn’t make him any less of a take out merchant. He has made a comfortable living out of racing, and now he is having an exciting and fufilling retirement by his coups. I believe he and others help charities because it helps them first and foremost, although it’s still commedable. Yes i do think working with youngsters and the poor in Africa would be better than sitting in Ireland in the last years of your life.

[Zarkava]

So you’re saying he’s a selfish person who donates tens, maybe hundreds, of thousands of pounds to charity.

I understand exactly what you mean.

(I don’t)

[Kenh]

Barney Curley is to quit racing.

<!– m –>http://www.racingpost.com/news/horse-ra … t7DaysNews<!– m –>

[no idea]

Good riddance.
Racing is better without his ilk.

[indocine]

I agree. I’m a million miles from being a form book knocker, but no one obfuscated form like he did. Good riddance.

[CrustyPatch]

John McCririck will be cracking open a bottle of champagne tonight, now that his old enemy is calling it a day.

Extra lobster at The Ivy for him on Saturday…

[ivanjica]

I never really got what Curley was all about. On the one hand he presented himself as a self styled "punter’s pal" in the mid-80s and yet he to my eyes at least he seemed hell bent on putting punters away as often has he could where his own horses were concerned.

[Coggy]

I know that many will criticise me for this view, but he is a master at what he does, in my view.
Whilst the handicap system (which I disagree with) is open to manipulation by horses being placed to not necessarily be at their optimum / run over inappropriate trips etc.
What is he guilty of doing, that many other more lauded trainers also do ?
Although many perceive him to be , not to their taste, I would rather him, than a wolf in sheeps clothing.
If not mistaken, I think I have a distant memory of Andy Stringer rescuing a horse from a flooded river. If so, good on him too.

[ivanjica]

I know that many will criticise me for this view, but he is a master at what he does, in my view.
Whilst the handicap system (which I disagree with) is open to manipulation by horses being placed to not necessarily be at their optimum / run over inappropriate trips etc.
What is he guilty of doing, that many other more lauded trainers also do ?
Although many perceive him to be , not to their taste, I would rather him, than a wolf in sheeps clothing.
If not mistaken, I think I have a distant memory of Andy Stringer rescuing a horse from a flooded river. If so, good on him too.

I wouldn’t disagree with what you say, however what got people’s goats up was his ego driven claims to be a "punter’s pal", which he clearly wasn’t. He was out for number one. Nothing wrong with that if that’s what really floats his boat, but he did start to come across as rather disingenuous especially when he resorted to bully boy tactics to try to stop the media (the ATR team in particular)from calling into question the ride one of his horses was given, a ride which no doubt cost a lot of armchair punters their hard earned.

[Himself]

But he was right about Luke Harvey.

Gambling Only Pays When You're Winning

[clivexx]

Good riddance and frankly i didnt like him either. Humourless and self important. wnker

[Coggy]

I agree that his self – styled "punters pal" is a load of nonsense. In my view though, he was very good at manipulating his charges handicap ratings in the interests of his connections.
Is this not exactly why we / the press etc both in this country and abroad where they have handicap racing extol the virtues of certain trainers ?
If your face fits ?

[robert99]

The most able trainer and punter in living memory.
Honest, frank and would not suffer the fools that abound in racing.
Done more for charity in Africa than many are aware.
Racing perhaps for the first time is now totally free of a single personality with character.

[Author]

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