Football pools chief and racehorse owner Paul Zetter dies aged 98

Paul Zetter, who was chairman of the Zetters football-pools company and a passionate supporter of racing for many years as an owner, died on Saturday aged 98.

Zetter lived a full life with sport at the centre of it and as well as running his father's business Zetters Pools, he was awarded a CBE for his role in setting up the Sports Aid Foundation.

The Zetters company competed with football-pools giants Littlewoods and Vernons, but Zetter did not rival Vernons' heir Robert Sangster as a racehorse owner.

He owned horses between 1995 and 2010 with his son-in-law Lawrence Wells, who trained at Billingshurst, West Sussex.

"He lived a very full, interesting and happy life and was the most incredible person," said daughter Carrie Wells. "He was hugely successful with the football pools and most businessmen have a bit of a side, but he didn't. What you saw was what you got – he was kind, generous and thoughtful."

Zetter's horses included Jazzy Refrain and Zero Risk and although he did not have any big-race winners under his own name, he took great satisfaction in the Josh Gifford-trained mare Brief Gale winning the 1995 Sun Alliance Chase (now Brown Advisory Novices') at Cheltenham in his daughter's colours.

"When Brief Gale won the Sun Alliance for me, it was overwhelmingly wonderful for him – he loved that," his daughter added. "He loved any success though, whether it was Cheltenham or down the road at Fontwell, which he absolutely adored."

Originally from the East End of London, Zetter served time in the war before joining his father Syd's business, which became a public company in 1965.

He was chairman of the Sports Aid Foundation, which raised funds to help athletes fulfil their Olympic dreams in the days before the National Lottery assumed that role, and was subsequently awarded a CBE in 1981 for his services to sport.

A close friend of Denis Thatcher, he wrote an autobiography, titled 'Bow Jest', 30 years ago, which documented his rags to riches story.

Zetter, whose wife of 65 years Helen died three years ago, is also survived by son Adam and four grandchildren.