York postmen scoop £121,000 on horse-racing bet

[TrueBlueTerrier]

York postmen scoop £121,000 on horse-racing bet and could pick up a further £403,000 today

http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/9983833 ... __400_000/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A TEAM of York postmen have won more than £120,000 on a horse-racing bet – and are now just one more winner away from a further £403,526.

The seven pals, who operate their syndicate on Saturday’s popular Totepool bet from the Royal Mail offices in York, placed a £16 wager between them last weekend on the ToteScoop6 fund.

Organiser David Farrow, 31, who plans to use his share of their winnings to pay for his honeymoon and wedding, said: “It was incredibly exciting. We all picked a horse in a different leg and by the last leg we all knew we were in with a chance of a share of £1 million.”

He said the syndicate had only been doing bets for six months and winning the £403,526 bonus fund would be life changing.

The only non-postman in the syndicate, Tesco night manager Dave Bell, 57, got a pal to help with his selections, including the 10-1 winner Ginger Jack in the first leg.He said: “I normally watch all the races, but was going to watch York play Rotherham, so I asked my friend Steve for his picks – he came up with Ginger Jack and Jo’burg in that race at Redcar and they finished first and third.”

York racecourse member Nick Bradley, 61, picked Ghurair, the 7-4 favourite winner of the second leg at Newmarket, leaving 3,617 tickets running in the pool for the bumper pot.

Then syndicate organiser David’s selection, the 9-4 favourite Mince, just managed to win leg three at Ascot, leaving 1,311 tickets in the pool.

Royal Mail driver Steve Kelly, 45, landed the next leg at Newmarket when Blazing Speed won at 10-1, leaving just 116 tickets in the pool.

Then Chris Pamplin’s pick Skilful at 6-1 landed leg five at Ascot and left just 24 tickets going into the last leg. Chris said: “The money so far is like a year’s wages as there is no tax to pay and we’re looking at the Saturday race purely as a bonus.”

Alan Wood, 56, was out with his wife Lynda buying tiles for their bathroom last weekend and so didn’t see the first five win. He only got back five minutes before the final leg at Redcar, and then swiftly switched on Channel 4 racing to watch the 21-runner handicap, with 4-1 favourite Body And Soul and Hototo at 9-2 his selections.

“It was nailbiting,” he said. “I sat on the end of the sofa and didn’t really want to watch it. There were five tickets on Body And Soul and it beat my other pick Hototo into second.”

He said they were all going to York races today with a free pick in the bonus race – the 34-runner Betfred Cesarewitch Handicap at Newmarket, which they will watch on a monitor – which could land them the £403,526 jackpot.

“It’s the stuff dreams are made of,” Alan said. “And I’m in the good books with Lynda as she wanted the most expensive tiles in the shop for the bathroom and they were out of our budget until we had the win.”

The seventh syndicate member, Craig Maxwell, 28, was out of the country with his family on a Disneyland holiday when the syndicate triumphed.

The group places their bet via the website williamhill.com

[silly suffolk]

its me. you all belittled my tips.

[clashcityrocker]

its me. you all belittled my tips.

[Lounge Lizard]

"Organiser David Farrow, 31, plans to use his share of their winnings to pay for his honeymoon and wedding" while his colleagues will be enjoying their share of the winnings.

[Bahia Feliz]

How did they get on today?

[bobbyden]

I understand the winner of the big race at Newmarket was a 66/1 rank outsider. Hope the lads picked it for their big bonus. If not, many congratulations on a fantastic piece of winner picking to land £121,000. Enjoy your winnings, you all richly deserve it.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Postmen's syndicate inches away from big payday

http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/9984704 ... ig_payday/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A GROUP of York postmen were just inches away from a bumper £403,000 payday at the races.

The final selection in their Scoop6 bonus race, Countrywide Flame, was beaten by just half a length by 66-1 shot Aaim To Prosper.

The postmen, David Farrow, Alan Wood, Dave Bell, Nick Bradley, Chris Pamplin, Steve Kelly, and Craig Maxwell were at York racecourse on Saturday and watched the bonus race at Newmarket on television alongside Channel 4 racing presenter Derek Thomson.

Although the syndicate missed out on an extra £403,000 they still took home £121,599.

David Farrow, 31, plans to use his share of the winnings to pay for his honeymoon and wedding, and said: “It was incredibly exciting and we were treated to a tremendous day out.

“It’s been amazing. I’ve hardly been able to sleep all week. We’ll all be back on our rounds next week.”

Steve Kelly said: “It was so close, but that’s racing. I definitely prefer it this way though, this is part of it.

“This week for us was more nervous because of the amounts. We can’t believe it, we’ve really enjoyed the day. I was sat at home this time last week with nothing. Now I’ve got £17,000. I’m going to have a holiday.”


James Brennan, marketing manager at York Racecourse, said about 20,000 people had attended the final race days, taking the total for the 2012 season to about 342,000, and planning had already begun for the first races of 2013.

He said: “What a fantastic final day we had. Only the third time this season we’ve operated under bright blue skies and it seemed the weather must have been 10 degrees warmer than it was on Friday, so people were sitting on the lawns and soaking up the final rays of the 2012 season.

“It’s been pretty remarkable considering the economic climate, so we’d like to say a big thank you to York and North Yorkshire who have backed us throughout the season, and hopefully will do in the future.”