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A punter could have had Agapanthus, AJ. Won a year and a month ago on rock hard ground at Yarmouth in a Class 5. Hated the soft ground he’d encountered ever since. Back to a winning mark. Three month break. There’s nothing in this one the BHA could have him before the beak for. I see this at Southwell all the time.
Anyway, Sean Boyce has written a tidy piece on his blog and I agree with every word so I’ll move on. This might be the end for Curley.
I’ve given my take on this at some length on my blog. I’ll be very interested to see what the racing media reaction is to this. Don’t know what ATR did on it tonight, if anything. But will be interesting to see what the reaction is tomorrow. I’m not in sadly so won’t have any input.
Gut reaction is that this might be a small watershed moment but I may be wrong, depends whether the media as a whole bottle it or not.Excellent article by Sean and, I guess, brings to the fore the reality of the "victims" of today’s coup … I admit that part of me loves to read stories like this but then I’m not in the game professionally, nor do I back my judgement and risk my financial future by playing on the exchanges although I know many "amateurs" that do … I accept there are many out there today that will have been adversely affected by today’s events and it will be interesting to see, as Sean has stated, how it plays out in the coming days and weeks with the authorities, the media and the public.
It’s almost as interesting as who’s going to form our next government !!!
I would love to hear Lydia’s opinions.
When I was a subscriber to her channel, she was often Curley’s most vocal critic. Her acidic derision for his methods always made me smile.
Great piece Sean…totally agree with that.
I get the feeling that Barney Curley had an idea he was giving up on the game and attempted to go out with one almighty coup, maybe miles off…I don’t know??
I’ve read reports that it’s cost the industry seven figures and that’s just with the 3 winners, if the other had won then it doesn’t even bear thinking about what damage would have been done.
depends whether the media as a whole bottle it or not.
Brilliant analogy on your blog Sean but it doesn"t matter what the Media say about this "Coup" as it will be nothing that hasn"t been said before a thousand times! Barney and Co have played the system yet again, the same system JJ O Neill played with "Dont Push it" in this years National,the very same system David Pipe played with "Buena Vista" at this years Cheltenham festival. Luca Cumani used to keep an ace up his sleeve for the Extel Handicap 20 odd years ago.No difference as far as i see it!The very name Barney Curley has alarm bells attached to it,today there must have been a fault on the sensor!
I find this outflow of indignation highly amusing.
The level of corruption within British racing is there for all to see – just read any of Glenn’s excellent posts over the last x amount of years.
What Barney does is stick right up the arse of the BHA and anyone else who cares and good on him for doing so.
It will be interesting to see what the press boys make of it – but then I would also be interested to know what they made of say – Lady Pilot yesterday……
Still, they will have been cheering in Africa, plenty of children looking forward to being, well fed, well clothed and going to school.
I have read every reply in this thread and Sean Boyce’s blog too and to be honest I think only one person has alluded to the fact that what Barney Curley has done is done DAILY by numerous trainers throughout the land!!
Surely we are not naive enough to believe that this is a one off. The only difference being on this occasion the horses were put together in multiples and have been "flagged" up by bookies when the rolling on money has been noticed.
I am not saying in an ideal world this is right or proper or good for racing but lets get realistic and admit it happens daily and without exaggerating anyone with a modicum of race reading ability can watch several races a day where horses are either not fit or not trying or are unsuited to the ground,distance or course or all three sometimes!!
I don’t want to name names but is Sir Mark Prescott ever seriously questioned regarding his entries or is Luca Cumani questioned or chastised for his tactics in fooling or misleading people concerning the ability of any given horse. I could go on and on but won’t because its pointless and as long as you know it goes on then you have a small chance of second guessing the reasons and results of such behaviour.
Finally I would just like to say that anyone that thinks that racing is remotely straight lives on planet Zog!!APK wrote…The very name Barney Curley has alarm bells attached to it,today there must have been a fault on the sensor!
When it comes to Curley, I tend to think that most of us have been lulled into a false sense of security in that from my limited observations it just seems like light years since I was last aware of his massively successful punts. For probably months, maybe a couple of years or more I’d be on the lookout for a dramatic market move. But then as time wore on and I became less aware of him having spectacular winners I began to think of him in terms of just a run of the mill insignificant sort of trainer, giving scant regard to any of his runners. I’m sure many others fail to regard him as a "good" trainer of horses. Obviously I was wrong and the man has a touch of magic about him. Either that or he is your ultimate con artist.
Henceforth there’s another aspect to this. Poor Joe Punter can expect the future odds about Curley’s runners to be squeezed by the bookies fearing another ‘coup’ and therefore even if they win we will be getting less value for money than had today not have happened.
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The man is succesful at what he does and he has to put food on the table at night and you have to respect that, being an owner of multiple low class horses and shocking prize money is asking for trouble.
All his horses today are lightly raced, enough hard runs for the horse to be relied apon when the moneys down, theres enough information in the form book to suggest they are capeable of winning but whether they have been run on under the right conditions (Track, ground, riding style) is another matter, but its not illegal to run your horse at a track it doesnt suit or ground it doesnt like so nothing you can do really.
Pete, Curley ain’t no Robin Hood, he ain’t no Chris Morris and he ain’t no Albert Schweitzer.
The man is a no-good narcissist who’d have the wallet out of your jacket pocket at the drop of a hat.
Pete, Curley ain’t no Robin Hood, he ain’t no Chris Morris and he ain’t no Albert Schweitzer.
The man is a no-good narcissist who’d have the wallet out of your jacket pocket at the drop of a hat.
Granted he polarises opinion, Maxilon, but whatever we might think of him, there are an awful lot of children in Zambia that would disagree with your analysis.
Just wonder if his 2 runners on April 22nd were all part of this plan…to kind of put people into a false sense of security?
I’d argue both runners on that day were entitled to run as well as, if not better than any of today’s on all known, and recent form (especially Zabeel Palace). Both were big drifters on the day though and beaten out of sight running absolute stinkers!
It beggars belief…
Today should have been the day I retired.
I spotted the three horses at the overnight stage and fancied them all.
A combination of factors (bookies failing to take multiples, being too busy at work on my first day back from holiday, idiots failing to take prices etc) meant I didn’t have nearly as much on as I wanted but I won just over £15,000. If the third Barney horse had won it would have been over £50,000. I didn’t spot the Chris Grant horse until it was mentioned on ATR and had a token bet on it on Betfair.
I have never spoken in figures before on this Forum and probably never will again but this was a momentous day and I want to show that you don’t need inside information to follow Barney, just a brain in your head. He doesn’t stop horses, merely runs them in unfavourable circumstances or not fully fit until they get down to a mark they can win from. I have no problem with his modus operandi and suggest those who do turn their guns on the real culprits who stop horses every day for profit.
well done Barney on a coup many months in the planning brilliantly executed.- Total Posts 17716
Jeu De Roseau … loving it … 25/1 this morning backed at all rates down to 5/4 … "drifted" to 6/4 just before the off.
Didn’t jump at all well and hard ridden two out before grabbing the bit again on the run to the last … good, neat jump and Denis O’Regan giving it the full treatment to assert on the flat.
Congrats to Chris Grant … great training feat after 742 days off the racecourse … ATR commentators talking about involvement from Barney Curley but not sure to what extent he was involved as I didn’t hear the whole conversation.
Don’t you just love to hear those bookies squeal ??
It’s great. I’m happy it’s the bookies getting robbed and not the punters for once!
It’s also the reason i don’t bet serious money in handicaps. You have an idea where you stand in stakes races.
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