Cubone

This month’s forumite is Cubone, a retired on-course bookmaker, who always has a good story to tell in the forum..

What’s your favorite betting saying?

When I was 16 in 1954 I was with my Grand Dad at Aintree and he said, Son in gambling you can always get out by Paying and you never lose your integrity to do so.

As for the World Cup, I think New Zealand and South Africa will fight that one out. They seem to be miles clear of the European teams.

If you could have a ticket to any one single sporting event in the world what would it be?

I have always wanted to go to an Olympic Games.

What’s the funniest thing you’ve seen at a racecourse?

I once saw a rouge Bookmaker at Worcester betting on a 3 mile chase. In those days all the runners were chalked up on a board. He layed a 50 at 10/1 on the last horse on his board.

With 2 jumps to go the horse was well clear and he did not have the money to pay so he scrubbed the horse off the bottom of his board and placed it at the top.

The winning client came for his money but was told he hadn’t backed the winner. The punter shouted "I know what I backed, I backed that one!" - pointing to the bottom horse. "Yes, but that one hasn’t won" said the Bookie "...this one won at the top".

Astounded, the punter said "I was told by the trainer his horse could jump, but if I had known he could jump like that I would have had 100 on".

Which do you prefer to bet on Flat racing or National Hunt?

NH, or Trotting. Trotting is the most colourful racing I have ever seen.

Which tracks would you advise punters to be wary of the camera angles at?

I would advise every one to buy the Alex Bird Book on Photo Finish betting.

Which betting school of thought do you consider yourself to be; layer, backer, trader?

Lay Back or Trade. I am an observer more than a personal punter now, advising some of the biggest and best Betfair players over the years. SG Sport and Geoff Button for two. Only wish Betfair had offered Refer and Earn before I convinced these two to join.

Has sport ever cost you a woman?

Been married for 35 Years so the answer must be no.

As an ex-bookmaker, do you think today’s bookies are on borrowed time, or with the aid of modern technology, the strongest will always survive?

Bookies will evolve and become a fuller service including offering their clients the chance to lay and will also bet in-running. The big three will continue to lobby their MPs to increase Betfair’s payments but may not succeed.

When and why did you join Betfair and what do like/dislike about the site?

Love everything about the exchange. Never did like the rule 4 system.

You have a bit of a following in the forum, why do you think that is?

I’m an old time sage story teller would like to do nothing else if I had a platform. Just wish my English and spelling was better. Would like to get round to write "The first 10 years of Betfair".

Do you celebrate individual wins or look at the bigger picture?

As an Agent I celebrate others big wins daily

What’s the one tip you’d offer someone posting on the forum for the first time?

Take your time. Read the forum for a month before you start betting. Go to a Betfair seminar and take it slow. Ask Betfair how to protect yourself from dangerous mistakes.

Which famous sportsman would you like to have dinner with?

When I was 16 I was walking out of Leicester racecourse to a Fish and Chip service actually in the course car park. As I missed the last race I was in the queue first. All I had left was two shillings, having had a bad day.

As I got to the front of the queue a Rolls Royce drew up and the face of Gordon Richards, the champion jockey, poked out the window and shouted ‘Get me a cod and chips kid!’

I didn’t hesitate, passing him his order, but the window simply went up and he drove away, leaving me in the front of the queue with just enough to pay for the millionaire’s dinner!

Never saw him again and would like to.

If you could re-live one sporting day which one would it be?

Many years ago I read an article in the Times about a 400 metre hurdler called Johnny Akii-Bua who ran in the 1970 Commonwealth Games at Edinburgh. With no shoes, he knocked down every hurdle and was beaten only two lengths by David Hemery, the UK champion.

When the betting came out for Munich Olympics in 1972, the Ugandan was not quoted. I had to wait until the first heat until I saw 8/1 for the round and 25/1 for the final.

To cut a long story short he cleared the last hurdle two lengths behind Hemery in the final but won going away in world record time, becoming the first ever Olympic champion for Uganda. I would have liked to meet him as there was such a story behind him. He was put under house arrest by the Ugandan tyrant Idi Amin for being too popular before being freed by his shoe sponsor several years later.