Gamble on Curley trio foiled as last leg flops

A gamble on a Barney Curley-trained trio appeared to  have been foiled on  Monday when the third of his heavily backed runners failed to make any impression at Wolverhampton.

Bookmakers report a fourth horse, formerly trained by Curley's former assistant Andrew Stringer, has also been heavily backed.  Jeu De Roseau, trained by Chris Grant, runs in the 7.30pm at Towcester.

Agapanthus, partnered by Tom Queally, ran out a good winner of the Whoopsadaisy Charity Handicap at Brighton having been gambled in to 2-1 (from 7-1), despite returning from a 187-day absence.

Barney Curley: Double success

  PICTURE: Edward Whitaker  

The second and third legs of the apparent gamble came in both divisions of the amateur handicap at Wolverhampton on Monday. Both were ridden by Declan Luke Queally.

Savaronola, who went off as an 11-10 favourite (from 5-1 earlier in the day), took the first division with ease.

But Sommersturm who was sent off the 1-3 favourite having been 4-1 earlier, let down his backers in the second division, at 5.30pm.

Speaking before the 5.30 Stan James spokesman Charlie McCann said: "Punters have been on from first thing this morning backing Agapanthus and Savaronola, the two afternoon winners, with Sommersturm (5.30 Wolves) and Jeu De Roseau (7.30 Towcester) in doubles, trebles, yankees and lucky 15s.

"Jeu De Roseau was previously trained by Curley but is now in the tutelage of Chris Grant. If the next two oblige it will indeed be a Black Monday not only for Gordon Brown but for the bookies and a red letter day for fearless punter Curley, who appears to have planned the day with military precision . . . so far."

Curley became infamous in not only the racing and betting world, but also in wider circles after the then gambler and entrepreneur masterminded a coup at Bellewstown in the summer of 1975 where he made the most of the poor communication between the track and off course bookmakers to win a reputed IR£300,000 (€1.7m in today's money) on a horse called Yellow Sam, which ran in his colours.

In the intervening years both as an owner and trainer, he has been associated with numerous gambles, plenty at a low level, and often using then relatively unknown jockeys, some of whom, including the likes of Frankie Dettori, Jamie Spencer and Tom Queally, have since established themselves among the top names in the weighing room.

Curley has reduced his racing interests in recent years and spends much of his time working for the Direct Aid For Africa charity he established in 1996.