Gambling For Life: The Man Who Won Millions And Spent Every Penny

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Dread churned inside Findlay when France were 18-13 down. They then scored a try from a forward pass allowed by the referee, Wayne Barnes. France led 20-18 and two million pounds were torched. “Wayne Barnes?” Harry the Dog barks. “I hated him like a Kiwi for a long time. But I watched Barnes do a game this year and I’d never seen refereeing like it. He was great.” Findlay lets rip with an amusing rant against cash-outs and the current betting industry which is too libellous to be repeated here, but he does make a salient point that it is “wrong that, as every winning bet pays Betfair a commission, small players should have to pay 5% while big players only pay 2%. It’s nearly impossible to win over a long period of time if you’re paying 5% rather than 2%. We need a new betting platform.” I was pretty certain this kind of feeling would be a one-off, and I was soaking it up. I stood there thinking: 'Win or lose, I won't get this feeling again, there won't be another Denman.'

During the good times, Harry’s life was all about helicopter rides, jets, five-star hotels, and private boxes at the world’s finest sporting events. The Rabbitohs had not won the NRL since 1971 but Findlay put everything he owned on them becoming champions. “We had over 70 grand on one match. It felt like seven million. So it wasn’t just the fact the Rabbitohs won and gave me 70 grand when we had nothing. It made me feel like a young sports fan again – even though it was life and death.” Of course, I hoped we'd win, because I couldn't bring myself to think I'd ever have another favourite at Cheltenham, but it still wasn't my place. I wasn't really wealthy and I wasn't going to buy hundreds of horses, so it felt like a bit of a one-off. The loan application, using her home as collateral, went through so late in the day bundles of cash were placed in a biscuit tin and delivered to Harry, over 100 miles away, via a flagged-down taxi driver. Thankfully he was completely oblivious to his cargo and did not become overcome with hunger at any point of the long journey. Denman and Sam Thomas with owner Harry Findlay after victory in the Gold Cup at Newbury in 2007 Photograph: Alan Crowhurst/PAAt just 15 years of age this mathematical genius got a place at Cambridge although he never completed his degree, instead he turned to gambling and started his own tipping line. Barber knew exactly what his partner was thinking, placed his arm on his shoulder and said: "Think of the way he got up and jumped the last when he was already beaten, and I'll tell you now, he'll win the Royal & SunAlliance Chase next year." Lifford Greyhound Stadium, situated in sparsely populated County Donegal, Ireland, may have closed two years ago but newspaper stories mention his name aplenty amongst reports “a dynamic group of local and international investors alongside the UK Tote Group are to form a unique collaboration with a clear strategy on how to revitalize the stadium.”

Phil had a shrewd attitude towards betting. He looked at the season as a whole and his form study was the same for every race. Findlay is convinced that Blazing Khal is the most likely winner of the Stayers’ Hurdle and has singled him out as his best bet of the week. He said: “Blazing Khal at 11-4 in the Stayers’ Hurdle. He looks the best value of the week at this stage and I’ve had a proper punt on him, non-runner no bet.” I for one certainly don’t blame him as the fragile yet extremely talented horse must have a huge chance. Professional gambler Harry Findlay is a larger than life gambler who has not only made a fortune but also lost a fortune from gambling over the years.

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Despite returning to public life a few years later Ramsden has failed to recreate his earlier success and has since been involved in a number of arguments over money. In 1999 he jointly formed The Golden Anorak Partnership and that was the banner under which his horses ran. Over the course of thirty years the Findlay name has appeared on race cards alongside the names of some brilliantly talented horses and greyhounds. Here’s just a few of those greats: Blazing Khal was a very useful novice hurdler, beating subsequent Grade 1 winner Gelino Bello twice at Cheltenham, over 2m5f and three miles. He defied a monster 428-day absence to burst into the Stayers’ Hurdle picture by winning the Grade 2 Boyne Hurdle at Navan earlier this month. By the age of 20, Harry Findlay was out of control and part-way through a two-year jail sentence for credit card fraud. Clearly, he was not always a good gambler, and he needed lessons in responsible gambling, but things would change. The Roller Coaster Begins