AUTHOR: Star Sports Content

BEN’S BLOG: ‘Showbiz in the betting-ring’

[dropcap]I[/dropcap] had a fabulous evening, last night, Blog. Roast beef at Rules, followed by drinks in The Savoy, with a couple of old, bookmaking, war-horses.

Bo Brown (West End Racing) was the first bookmaker to allow my ruination to start, giving me work experience, shadow-clerking, at the age of 13.

He came up to London with his two sons, Lewis and Charlie, both fresh blood into the game, and we met Tom Power, at the oldest restaurant in London.

When Tom entered the room, Bo stopped in his tracks. Like a young boy meeting Ronaldo, his youth returned to him. He was meeting one of the true legends of the game.

Tom, and his brother John, set the London dog-track betting-rings alight, in the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s, betting under the name ‘John Power’. The first bookmakers to open betting-shops internationally, but also bring a real sense of fun and charisma to the ring.

rulesteamSo Tom told us one of his oldest and best stories…

There was a time when a huge amount of counterfeit money was being palmed off, onto dog-track bookies, when they were busy, and didn’t have time to check it.

Tom was well known, not just for driving a yellow Rolls Royce, but also for smoking the longest and best cigars in all of London.

He would stand on the joint, look out, and talk to the punters in the ring…

‘Do you know what? I can make one of these cigars last three hours.’

‘Never light them with a lighter though. They congeal at the end. They taste better, lit with a match.’

He would then take out one of the snidely £50 notes.

‘Has anyone got a match?’

One of the Billy Bunters would approach the pitch.

Tom would then say to him, holding out the bank-note; ‘Light this for me, will you, mate..’

The punters in absolute awe, he would then light the ‘la-de-dah’ with a £50 note.

SHOWBIZ IN THE BETTING-RING. WHERE HAVE ALL OF THE GAME’S FLAIR AND CHARACTERS GONE?

In other news:

So, you’ve all heard about the most famous dog-race of all? Yes, Ballyregan Bob versus Scurlogue Champ. Star giant-punter, The Dark Knight, was there that night, in much younger days. He bet £15,000 at 4/6, with the sponsor, about Ballyregan Bob. Nothing changes…he rarely leaves his money behind…

Who’s idea was the race? Who pulled the money up and sponsored the event??

‘The John Power Showdown.’

TAKE YOUR HAT OFF TO A HUGE CONTRIBUTOR TO THE GAME.

Over and out, B x

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