#BettingPeople: MICKEY FLETCHER

Interview: MICKEY FLETCHER Flamboyant former rails bookmaker Mickey talks to us about how he got his nickname ‘The Asparagus Kid’, his beginnings in the game, having to learn quickly when taking bets from the big firms and super shrewd punters like Barney Curley, even the world’s biggest punter at the time Kerry Packer. He talks about betting on horses and greyhounds, bookies and characters he has known and his love of travelling. Meeting Mickey Fletcher in four parts PLUS two bonus interviews !!!

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MICKEY FLETCHER (part 1 of 4)

Colourful on-course bookmaker Mickey Fletcher talks about his beginnings in bookmaking taking on professional punters and combining his entrepreneurial spirit with his love of travel, greyhound racing and horse racing.

He starts by explaining how he got his moniker ‘The Asparagus Kid’, betting at the dogs and on the rails on racecourses getting in front of Ladbrokes on course to make it pay.

How laying horses for £3000 or £4000 a race made it essential to have time out and why it was essential to know who to be with, who to be against and when to wave the white flag.

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MICKEY FLETCHER (part 2 of 4)

Flamboyant rails bookmaker Mickey Fletcher talks about taking on and befriending formidable punter Barney Curley, a hair-raising afternoon betting with cricketer Ian Botham and marking the world’s biggest gambler Kerry Packer’s card.

He recalls how people in the 1980’s went to the races to bet and bet big and how he fared in the 1990’s when Frankie Dettori rode 7 winners at Ascot.

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MICKEY FLETCHER (part 3 of 4)

Legendary rails bookmaker Mickey Fletcher continues his interview, talking about having horses with Martin Pipe, Martin’s bookmaking father Dave, AP McCoy, huge rails layer Stephen Little, professional punters including Dodger McCartney, laments how things started to go sour as the Internet era kicked in and talks about owning greyhounds.

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MICKEY FLETCHER (part 4 of 4)

Colourful former rails bookmaker Mickey Fletcher concludes his interview talking about how much fun the betting rings were in his heyday, finding out where the sharp money was going and reacting to it. Being retired, elaborates on his love of travelling and has some sage advice for people getting into the on-course ‘game’ now.

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MICKEY FLETCHER BONUS 1

Flamboyant rails bookmaker Mickey recalls some much loved characters no longer with us, including tictac Paul Doc and John McCririck and relates a cautionary tale regard having the correct money when asking him for a bet….

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MICKEY FLETCHER BONUS 2

A bonus clip, Mickey Fletcher and his in no uncertain terms opinion on the modern day betting ring and racecourse bookmakers.

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MICKEY FLETCHER #BettingPeople PODCAST

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