Pishill author tells top punter’s tale

THEY say that gambling doesn’t pay, but a new book by a sports writer from Pishill shows that once in a lifetime it does pay — big time.

Nick Townsend, who collaborated with Sir Steve Redgrave on his autobiography, became fascinated with the life of Barney Curley, a former priest who is now the scourge of bookies throughout the country by pulling off three multi-million pound betting deals.

Nick’s latest book, The Sure Thing, The Greatest Coup in Horse Racing History, is a warts-and-all story of Curley’s life.

Curley has made headlines all over the world but has never divulged the full details of how he won the equivalent of £2m in 1970, another £3.9m in 2010 and an estimated £3m already this year.

The book delves into the planning and preparation of the biggest organised gambles in racing history. Nick, whose wife Louise is PA to Antony Worrall Thompson, was a sports writer on the Daily Mail and the Independent on Sunday, and now freelances for The Sunday Times. He will be making an appearance at this year’s Henley Literary Festival.