#BettingPeople

Interview: STEVE MELLISH Professional Punter and sometimes TV pundit Steve Mellish talks about his career of over 30 years beating the bookmakers. How his interest was ignited, his inspiration, punting strategy and staying ahead of the game. Meeting Steve Mellish. (interview by Simon Nott)

Interview: MARK HILL Mark Hill sees bookmaking and punting as sides of the same coin. He has excelled in both spheres. He bets on course under his own name at a select few racecourses and at the Midlands point to point circuit. He openly admits his main income is punting. He comes from good stock, in the 1980’s his late father Angus was feared by bookies as the ‘Coup King’. It’s all here and more. Meeting Mark Hill. (interview by Simon Nott)

Interview: CHARLIE AUSTIN Professional footballer, now with West Brom, has a passion for racing as well as football. He’s co-founder of owner’s group Excel Racing. In this three-part interview with Simon Nott, he talks about his background and love of both sports. Meeting Charlie Austin.

Interview: DARRAN KEEFE Darran is a professional greyhound racing punter – and a good one at that! In this 4 part series, he tells Julie Collier about the commitment and dedication it takes to make a success of professional punting and the considerable challenges he faces as well as his means to overcome them. (interview by Julie Collier)

Interview: CHRIS DIXON Formidable punter, successful owner and pundit Chris Dixon talks about his love of racing, ownership and explains the extra depths into the form book he and his bother Martin go to beat the bookies. Meeting Chris Dixon. (interview by Simon Nott)

Interview: NICK CHILD Nick Child was brought up on a council estate in Islington, he got his first job in a racing yard in Mill Hill – luckily just on the edge of the underground network which he used to get there. He then worked with Seamus Mullins and Philip Hobbs before landing at Paul Nicholls’ yard, culminating in becoming the groom for Kauto Star pronounced Kayto! With money earned at Ditcheat he invested in a point to pointer and used sport between the flags to hone his commentating skills. Those skills led him via Malaysia to Kranji in Singapore where he currently commentates and presents racing on TV, what next for the ambitious globetrotter? Meeting Nick Child. (interview by Simon Nott)

Interview: PAUL KRISHNAMURTY Paul has been a professional gambler since 2003. He makes it pay betting on cricket, golf, snooker and politics. In this interview he explains the strategies he uses to win for a living including travelling to the USA to bet on the Presidential Election which had a media twist in its tale. Meeting Paul Krishnamurty. (interview by Simon Nott)

Interview: GARY WILTSHIRE Gary Wiltshire is larger than life in character and stature. Born in the East End, he was around gambling from an early age. Greyhound racing was his first love, horses and many other sports soon followed and Gary had the bug. His career has had its up’s and down’s, the most famous low-point was when he layed Frankie Dettori’s seventh ride of ‘The Magnificent Seven’ to lose over £1 million. It left him in a dark place but it was also to be the making of ‘the belly from the telly.’ Meeting Gary Wiltshire. (interview by Julie Collier)

Interview: CHARLIE FELLOWES Trainer Charlie Fellowes talks about some of the big issues in horse racing. He laments what he considers the mistakes made in the past that led to the current funding problems. He covers poor prize money, syndicates, changing attitudes in society, Thanks Be at Royal Ascot, the ‘Off The Bridle podcast, the whip in racing, the Racing Post and the reaction by some in racing to his opinions. Meeting Charlie Fellowes. (interview by Simon Nott)

Interview: MATT MITTER CEO of ‘Value Rater’ Matt Mitter talks about his formative years where jockeys Richard Guest and Tony McCoy, frequenting his local pup, ignited his interest in horse racing. He became interested in form study and soon realised that he had a talent for picking winners. He underachieved at school and as a result thrust into a world of dead-end jobs. After skiving work to go to the bookies, he started working for one in a Birmingham betting shop. A regular punter took him under his wing and taught him the rudiments of race reading and successfully beating the bookies from which he didn’t look back. It wasn’t plain sailing though, Matt’s story is punctuated by serious battles with alcohol, one finally won by facing up to having a problem and the help of Alcoholics Anonymous. Recorded at Bath Racecourse where he’s now a valued sponsor. Meeting Matt Mitter. (interview by Simon Nott)