SIMON NOTT: Barry and Blogger

A criticism often levelled at racing is that there’s an ingrained element of nepotism involved in earning a living from it. It would take a good lawyer to convince anyone that there’s not been an element of truth in that over the years. An even bigger truth is that people have used it as an excuse as to why they haven’t progressed as they’d have liked in whatever sphere they aspired in. When the subject is broached there’s a nodding of heads and gnashing of teeth at the unfairness of it all.

The paradox, as there often is in racing, is that the outrage is amplified in some quarters when people do buck the trend and rise to the top in the game despite having no background in it.

The biggest example of blatant nepotism in the racing game was in racecourse bookmaking up until the turn of the millennium. The dead man’s shoes system meant that it was almost impossible for a person that wanted to become a bookie on course to raise through the ranks. By ranks I mean pitches. If they managed to get off the waiting lists and into a pitch before middle age there was no way they could ever expect to bet in the top positions, held for generations and jealously guarded by the system in place. I used to work for bookmakers in the poor pitches, they could only look on with resignation as those top bookies got rich with no risk and hope for the odd move up.

Not everyone was the same though. My most recent #BettingPeople interviewee Barry Dennis was one that questioned the status quo and set about changing it. Trust me, he was not popular. Who did this loud-mouthed barrow boy from Essex betting in khazi pitches telling racecourses that he’d pay extra to bet in pitches inherited think he was? Barry Dennis that’s who, most of the established betting ring despised him, but of course, Barry didn’t care. Barry and like-minded bookies eventually got their way, the unfairness of it all combined with the racecourses realising that could get a few quid eventually saw buying and selling of pitches the norm. As it turned out, the old school bookmakers who once cursed Barry soon realised their inherited pitches were lumpy pension pots and cashed them in. Existing bookies who had the money bought up and new blood came and went fairly quickly. Barry Dennis, the barrow-boy from the back row by sure tenacity and self-belief as well as some less than PC outbursts, ended up betting in top pitches, a racing household name with a slot on Channel 4 and a red top newspaper column.

Fast forward to now. Another figure that people in racing either love or hate. Stephen Power, AKA The Racing Blogger. Anyone that watched the Arc coverage on the TV and social media will have seen him. Stood behind trainers with luminaries of the Press Room as winning connections were being interviewed, casually chatting to top trainers and being high-fived by Frankie Dettori. The access Stephen has to the very top echelons of people in racing is super impressive.

This is racing, so some people appear to hate him for it. That despite him bucking the nepotism that is deemed to hinder anyone from outside the game wishing to get a toe in the door. The first time I remember seeing Racing Blogger was when I was still working for Turf TV with John McCririck at Newbury. Blogger came over full of enthusiasm talking excitedly to Rod, John’s right-hand man on course saying how he remembered him when he came racing as a youngster.

Those were the days when he’d have the brass balls to just ambush a trainer, armed with his phone, a selfie-stick and some questions. He’d nearly always get an interview too, great content on twitter which soon saw a rapid following. A lot has followed since, but for every move perceived as a mistake or misguided by some, that route he chose has ultimately led to where his now. Used proudly by French racing to promote their product, access all areas at one of the world’s biggest race meetings and on first name terms with Frankie Dettori, Aidan O’Brien and appears to be making a good living from the sport he loves.

Blogger’s style isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, not even mine on occasion, but through sheer self-belief, tenacity and refusal to accept that someone like him can’t get to where he’s gotten, he’s got there, and fair play to him. Barry and Blogger, chalk and cheese, probably wouldn’t get on at all but both successfully driven by their own ambition.

I’m sure that the gnashing of teeth has started already, but before you all reach for twitter to vent thy fury. Are you getting high-fives from Frankie Dettori and having tea with Aidan O’Brien?

No, me neither, where did we go wrong, it certainly wasn’t lack of opportunity.

Simon Nott

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Views of authors do not necessarily represent views of Star Sports Bookmakers.

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Simon Nott is author of: Skint Mob! Tales from the Betting Ring
available on Kindle CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS

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