You're not the only one who likes a bet. Horse trainers do too.
Remember back in the day when horse trainer Barry Hills was named King of the Coups?
One of the tabloids had the headline: ''Barry Hills has won so much money from bookies during his training career that it's a wonder he didn't call one of his sons William.''
He has five sons, including Charles, who is presently a trainer at Wetherdown House Stables, Lambourn and John who was a successful handler, sadly passed away in 2014.
Barry Hills funded his training career on the strength of monster gambles. The 1968 Lincoln winner, Frankincense, backed from 66/1 - 100/8 gave him the finances to change his life and follow his dream.
The payout £64,000, which in today's money is well over £1.5M.
It was the beginning of a very long list of winners which saw him get his trainer's licence in 1969 and retire in 2011.
He trained over 3,000 winners including four Classics in Great Britain: 1000 Guineas - Enstone Park (1978), Ghanaati (2009) & 2000 Guineas: Tap On Wood (1979), Haafd (2004).
I wonder if Mr. Hills debated which bookies were best for his horse racing bets. If you want to know more about that intel about the best horse racing betting sites, just click right here because it's important to know what you are looking for when you have a flutter online.
Not bad going for the son of a head lad, who paved the way for future generations of horse trainers.
In these times, horse trainers are probably a little more secretive about telling a soul of their plans to land a big punt. However, you can guarantee that a lot of horse trainers pride themselves on making the bookmakers pay. In fact, a number sell tips to horse tipster platforms for extra cash. I'm sure they don't detail the best chances (but that's just my opinion).
When you think about the perfect person to give you a tip, it should be the trainer of the beast.
Horse trainers are in that privileged position. They should know whether Pegasus, entered to run at 2:00 Great Yarmouth, has been catching pigeons at home on the gallops.
As a follower of two-year-old horse racing, it's my job to know everything about this niche.
Now, I don't know for sure which horse trainers like a gamble, but I certainly have my own opinions about which ones like to have a bet and those that may well frighten most bookies to death.
My assessment of which trainers like to gamble comes from observing major gambles that have won and those who are canny devils with a glint in their eyes.
Here are my top 3 horse trainers who like to bet on their horses.
David Evans -
The Welsh Wizard. Based at Ty-Derlwyn Farm, Pandy, Abergavenny. There are many canny horse trainers but, for me, Evans is in a class of his own. Whether he has a debutante at Chepstow, a handicapper at Haydock or a hot shot running at Royal Ascot he is a man to follow when the money is down. Trust me, he makes most trainers look like Micky Mouse. I've seen some major gambles on the stables two-year-olds and although not all of then find the winner's enclosure a good number do.
For example, who will forget the debut of two-year-old Choux at Thirsk (15th May)? This daughter of Exceed And Excel was backed from 40/1 - returning at odds of 100/30. She won in a breeze. I don't know for sure whether it was the owners Chris Kiely Racing Ltd & Partner who lumped on but I can't imagine Mr Evans not enjoying a slice of the pie, if not the cherry on the top.
Gambling score: 5/5
I must admit, I don't know much about horse trainers from across the globe like Australia, New Zealand, France, South Africa and of course the famous Kentucky Derby in the United States but I do know a few more British horse trainers who it pays to follow with cold, hard cash.
Here's to my next intriguing horse trainer who may or may not like a bet.
David Simcock -
Based at Trillium Place Stables, Birdcage Walk, Newmarket, Suffolk. An excellent horse trainer who always likes to run his best two-year-olds at headquarters [Newmarket]. Now, I can only surmise whether this stable likes a punt but I have one very good piece of data which suggests to me this is a stable where winners are backed to short odds. Sounds intriguing, hey. I will tell you this little gem of wisdom which I have researched. The stable two-year-olds on their second start can be very hard to beat. But here's the real peace of info you need to know. For the last umpteen years, he has never had a juvenile win on it's second start at odds greater than 13/2. That's not the exact price because I'm not giving that info away for free. But I will tell you this. ''If you bet on one of his horses at big odds, you'll be unlikely to win any wonga.''
If you want to know about all UK horse trainers big and small then you won't find them any faster than clicking this mobile-optimised site, as you don't want to forget knowledge is power. And winning is all about knowing who is hot property when they have a bet.
Gambling score 4/5
My third and last horse trainer to follow when the money comes is another high-profile handler and a lovely man.
Clive Cox -
Based at Beechdown Stables, Sheepdrove Road, Lambourn, Berkshire. A horse trainer who knows his horse. Once again, I have no idea whether Mr. Cox likes a punt and simply extrapolate my wisdom from what I have learned from his two-year-old horses. I must say that when his two-year-old debutantes start favourite they are very hard to stop from winning. Mostly, they are the best juveniles in the stable. You really can't go wrong following the money with this outfit.
Gambling score 4/5
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