Barney Curley, renowned gambler and trainer, dies aged 81

Barney Curley, the renowned gambler and former racehorse trainer, died on Sunday, aged 81.

Born and brought up in Irvinestown in Co Fermanagh, Curley abandoned plans to be a priest in favour of becoming a professional gambler and came to public prominence over the Yellow Sam betting coup at Bellewstown races in 1975.

Curley masterminded a plot that revolved around a friend pretending to be on a prolonged phone call to a dying aunt from the sole call box at the racecourse.

It meant off-course bookmakers were prevented from cutting Yellow Sam’s starting ‘SP’ and the Curley owned horse won at 20-1 despite being widely backed in betting shops .

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Estimates of up to €2 million at today’s rates were scooped in winnings.

As well as owning horses, Curley also started training them and his first winner was I’m Incommunicado ridden by Willie Mullins at Naas in 1984.

He stopped training in 2012 but continued to bet and admitted to being involved in a famous four-horse coup in 2014 that reportedly cost bookmakers millions.

The Irishman was an instrumental figure in the development of some of racing’s best known jockeys over the years including Frankie Dettori, Jamie Spencer and Tom Queally who rode the unbeaten champion Frankel.

In 1995 Curley’s 18-year-old son Charlie was killed in a car accident.

Afterwards he turned his attention to charity work, setting up the Direct Aid for Africa organisation in 1996 which has raised millions to improve health and education in Zambia.

The former champion National Hunt jockey Sir AP McCoy tweeted on Sunday: “Feel lucky to have enjoyed his company, a man with well founded legendary status as a trainer/gambler but one who also raised lots for the charity Direct Aid for Africa.”