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 .
