Barry Dennis has tried to retire twice, that I know of, and yet Britain’s best-known bookmaker, now 78, was still to be found by his joint at Lingfield on Saturday. And this is the more remarkable because, he tells me, he has suffered two heart attacks within the past month.
The first one happened before racing on Good Friday, when he was also at Lingfield. “I took two paracetamol and got on with it,” Dennis told me. “Lucky there were no photo-finishes that day.
“Three days later, I was watching Chelsea play someone and I had another. That was 8.30pm, I was having an operation by 10.30pm.”
Dennis, who achieved fame during years of contributing to Channel 4’s The Morning Line, now has a couple of stents in place, trying to keep his ticker on the straight and narrow. I was amazed that he didn’t bother going to hospital on Good Friday. Did he not recognise it as a heart attack? “Oh yeah! I told the boys, didn’t I?” he said, turning cheerily to a couple of lads that were taking bets for him on Saturday. “‘I’ve just had a heart attack,’ I told them.”
His medical advisors have urged Dennis to take it easy and would doubtless be dismayed to see him by his joint on a busy Saturday, following the fortunes of his business as each race is run. He seemed impatient with the idea of staying away. “A few years ago, I was doing more than 300 meetings a year. I’m only on 150 now.”
That’s still a lot of work, I said, not wanting to add “for someone who’s supposed to be retired”. Dennis did not seem impressed. “Three days’ work a week?” he said.
Good luck to him and I hope he’s feeling more robust in the days and weeks to come, although Lord knows he’s pretty robust as it is.
Monday’s best bets
Also on the sick list, at a much less serious level, is Monday’s nap, The Defiant, who is being treated for a rash and will not make the journey to Musselburgh. In his absence, my main interest at the Scottish track is in Robben Rainbow (4.40).
Now five, this one was regressive for David Barron through 2018 but that yard had one of its weakest years, with a 9% strike-rate. Robben Rainbow is now with Katie Scott and showed encouraging signs on his third start for her, when fourth here 11 days ago. Jason Hart is booked and this horse may be able to exploit a mark two stones below the rating he was given at the end of 2016. He’s 9-2.
In Wolverhampton’s opener, you can get 5-1 about Celtic Artisan (1.50), whose last three wins have all been over the course and distance. Interestingly, the veteran has been kept away from Wolves for his first three runs this year but is ready to win, judging by his recent third at Pontefract.
Pick of the trappy jumps card at Kempton could be Monty’s Award (3.15), who is bred to improve for this switch to fences, being descended from the same family as Monty’s Pass, a Grand National winner.
At Windsor tonight, I like 6-1 about Escape The City (8.20), with Cieren Fallon booked. She was third in the Sandringham on her reappearance last year and is 1lb lower now.
Wolverhampton 1.50 Celtic Artisan 2.20 Magical Molly Joe 2.55 Miss Matterhorn 3.25 Urban Spirit 4.00 Taurean Dancer (nb) 4.30 Dark Miracle 5.00 Lady Of Authority
Musselburgh 2.00 Cape Victory 2.30 Bahlwan 3.05 Kupa River 3.35 Bayshore Freeway 4.10 Colour Contrast 4.40 Robben Rainbow 5.10 The Defiant (nap) 5.45 Tawseef
Kempton 2.10 Highly Prized 2.40 Barbados Blue 3.15 Monty’s Award 3.45 Hawkerland 4.20 Here I Am 4.50 Blushing Red
Windsor 5.20 Sapa Inca 5.50 Illusionist 6.20 Heritage 6.50 Oh This Is Us 7.20 Gabriela Laura 7.50 Geizy Teizy 8.20 Escape The City
