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Does anyone know whatever happened to that man and his son who were interviewed on Channel 4 once because they used to carry thousands round in a plastic carrier bag when they were at the racecourse and betting big?
Allegedly, his employer saw the interview and worked out where the stake money was coming from ………
I thought this thread was going to be about the ‘mystery’ plastic bag man who always seems to turn up at one of the big three’s high street shops 2 weeks before Cheltenham with 10K in readies to slap on something ante-post.
Just a concidence of course if this happens to be a runner that that firm needs backed to balance it’s book in that race.
It still amazes me how the lemmings then pile on once they hear about which horse ‘mystery’ plastic bag man has had his 10K on this year.
Works every time.
Hi All
Hate to get serious amongst all this levity but he used to pile on to all the Henry Cecil odds on shots and finally lost the lot on one of them
Regards
DougThe memory I have of him was his interview with McCririck (at Chester I think) while he was in the process of offloading a lump onto Mike Burton, then of Hills. During the chat the price (can’t recall exactly) of the horse drifted to say 2/5, 4/9… but ‘bag man’ accepted say 4/11. To describe the look on lil’ Burton’s face as ‘chuffed’ would be an understatement. ‘We’ll go to work with it’ or somesuch was his diplomatic reply when asked by Mac if he’d lay it off
Not so sure it was just Cecil hotpots he punted on he turned up at the ”Perth Festival” about 7-8 years ago and had £10,000 out the bag with bookie called ”Scotbet” or ”Macbet” can quite remember but the horse got beat…and yes numerous lemmings followed.
It was Alex Farquhar "Macbet", Was an every day occurance for Alex who was thee man!
Aye Farquhar is a good, opinionated bookmaker
Are Macbet still on-course in Scotland? Haven’t seen them for a long while on the north-of-England tracks
Farquhar’s still the man, and very clever – if he puts one up to back, you have to back it.
True story!!!!
Gave him a lift into Perth city centre after his car had broken downat the race course,think we spoke about everything but racing all the way back,he offered me £20 and i told him to ”**** off” it was a pleasure!!!
He then tells me to back a horse called either Latchford or Beaomont???(not sure) at Chester and it pissed up.
Decent bloke
The biggest cash bet on a Scottish racecourse still belongs to Brighton gambler and race horse owner Ashley Carr.
In the pre exchange era when his Brian Ellison trained horse ‘Stakis Casino Boy’ run at Musselburgh on Jan 7 1998, Ashley and a few of his mates flew up on the morning shuttle from Gatwick with the plan of each attempting to place 20k each at the same time.
As it turned out Ashley asked the late Freddie Williams he he would take 50k @6/4 in cash Freddie to his credit took the whole 100k after the horse had won by 7 lenghts Freddie Williams returned the 100k and posted him a cheque the same evening for the remaining 150k.
Another big player from the south used to be Johhny ‘Lights’ Humbrell.
(google him up)As it turned out Ashley asked the late Freddie Williams he he would take 50k @6/4 in cash Freddie to his credit took the whole 100k after the horse had won by 7 lenghts Freddie Williams returned the 100k and posted him a cheque the same evening for the remaining 150k.
Macbet 5/4 the fav, long on the second fav, Williams 6/4, short on the second would be my guess
Of all the on-course bookmakers I kept an eye on it was notable how out-of-line Macbet often were, not just the obvious, say unilaterally opposing a fav, but also mid-market. Can’t say I compiled compelling data but their mid-market ‘shorties’ did seem to win rather often.
Freddie Williams was an engaging gentleman and a fine advert for the once-noble art of on-course bookmaking, but Alex Farqhuar was the quiet man in the shadows who really knew his horses IMVHO
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