#BettingPeople

Interview: DARRAN KEEFE Darran is a professional greyhound racing punter – and a good one at that! In this 4 part series, he tells Julie Collier about the commitment and dedication it takes to make a success of professional punting and the considerable challenges he faces as well as his means to overcome them. (interview by Julie Collier)

Interview: MARK BIRD Mark Bird joined the Greyhound Board of Great Britain, greyhound racing’s regulatory body, in 2015. Two years ago, he became the Managing Director, the head of the entire sport. In this three part interview, Mark addresses the many issues facing the greyhound racing, including welfare issues, media rights deals, funding and the need to recruit more young people into the sport.

Interview: DAVE FREDERICKS Dave Fredericks has spent a lifetime in greyhound racing and seen the game from all angles; owner, kennel hand, head lad, trainer, punter and bookmaker. Health problems have, at times, forced career changes but greyhound racing is in his blood and he could never give it up, despite his doctors orders! Now a bookmaker and punter at Romford, Dave talks to Julie Collier about how the sport has changed, some of the characters he has met and some of the laughs he’s had along the way, taking on punters and being an impatient punter himself. Meeting Dave Fredericks.

Interview: CHRIS DIXON Formidable punter, successful owner and pundit Chris Dixon talks about his love of racing, ownership and explains the extra depths into the form book he and his bother Martin go to beat the bookies. Meeting Chris Dixon. (interview by Simon Nott)

Interview: NICK CHILD Nick Child was brought up on a council estate in Islington, he got his first job in a racing yard in Mill Hill – luckily just on the edge of the underground network which he used to get there. He then worked with Seamus Mullins and Philip Hobbs before landing at Paul Nicholls’ yard, culminating in becoming the groom for Kauto Star pronounced Kayto! With money earned at Ditcheat he invested in a point to pointer and used sport between the flags to hone his commentating skills. Those skills led him via Malaysia to Kranji in Singapore where he currently commentates and presents racing on TV, what next for the ambitious globetrotter? Meeting Nick Child. (interview by Simon Nott)

Interview: PAUL KRISHNAMURTY Paul has been a professional gambler since 2003. He makes it pay betting on cricket, golf, snooker and politics. In this interview he explains the strategies he uses to win for a living including travelling to the USA to bet on the Presidential Election which had a media twist in its tale. Meeting Paul Krishnamurty. (interview by Simon Nott)

Interview: GARY WILTSHIRE Gary Wiltshire is larger than life in character and stature. Born in the East End, he was around gambling from an early age. Greyhound racing was his first love, horses and many other sports soon followed and Gary had the bug. His career has had its up’s and down’s, the most famous low-point was when he layed Frankie Dettori’s seventh ride of ‘The Magnificent Seven’ to lose over £1 million. It left him in a dark place but it was also to be the making of ‘the belly from the telly.’ Meeting Gary Wiltshire. (interview by Julie Collier)

Interview: CHARLIE FELLOWES Trainer Charlie Fellowes talks about some of the big issues in horse racing. He laments what he considers the mistakes made in the past that led to the current funding problems. He covers poor prize money, syndicates, changing attitudes in society, Thanks Be at Royal Ascot, the ‘Off The Bridle podcast, the whip in racing, the Racing Post and the reaction by some in racing to his opinions. Meeting Charlie Fellowes. (interview by Simon Nott)

Interview: MATT MITTER CEO of ‘Value Rater’ Matt Mitter talks about his formative years where jockeys Richard Guest and Tony McCoy, frequenting his local pup, ignited his interest in horse racing. He became interested in form study and soon realised that he had a talent for picking winners. He underachieved at school and as a result thrust into a world of dead-end jobs. After skiving work to go to the bookies, he started working for one in a Birmingham betting shop. A regular punter took him under his wing and taught him the rudiments of race reading and successfully beating the bookies from which he didn’t look back. It wasn’t plain sailing though, Matt’s story is punctuated by serious battles with alcohol, one finally won by facing up to having a problem and the help of Alcoholics Anonymous. Recorded at Bath Racecourse where he’s now a valued sponsor. Meeting Matt Mitter. (interview by Simon Nott)

Interview: BRIAN TOOMEY Brian Toomey is sadly best-known for the horror fall he survived at Perth when a jockey on the up. He was given a 3% chance of survival but after 157 days in hospital the 33/1 chance defied the odds. Incredibly, just two years after his accident he was back in the saddle. He has now set his sights on a training career for which he is now fully qualified. In this two-part Interview Brian lays bare how it really is to suffer and survive a brain injury, his beginnings brought up in an Irish dairy farm and his ambition for the future. Meeting Brian Toomey. (interview by Simon Nott)