Fr’s Mass panic at the bookies
Priest’s Xmas tip a gift for parishioners
A PRIEST has revealed he forced his local bookies to close by giving massgoers a Christmas Eve tip which saw them lay bets in droves.
Fr Paddy Byrne told his congregation to “put a few bob” on Hewick to win the King George on St Stephen’s Day.
Trained by Shark Hanlon, Hewick came from way back to win the December 26 feature at Kempton at odds of 12/1, causing the betting shop in Abbeyleix, Co Laois, to close early.
Speaking on the Champ.ie podcast, Fr Paddy recalled how he told parishioners: “I have a Christmas present for you all.
“There’s a little horse, and I love this horse, and a great trainer called Shark Hanlon,
and the horse is called Hewick and he’s running in the King George on Tuesday’ which was St Stephen’s Day.
“‘My little Christmas present to you is, if you can afford it, put a few bob on it.
“The race, we know what happened. The bookies in Abbeyleix had to close at four o’clock that afternoon and I think everyone had a fairly prosperous day.”
Hewick is now set to head straight to the Gold Cup at Cheltenham in March following his King George win. Speaking after the Kempton success, his delighted trainer said: “It’s unreal.
“On a tougher track it will be a better job for him but we are here today and he won, which is amazing.
“Coming out of the back I thought we’d definitely be in the first three because he was just getting into a rhythm and just getting going. They were going plenty hard in front.
“We knew coming here there were three or four front-runners and if we were able to lay up with them we’d be happy.
“He cost £800 (€937) and I was watching a programme in the week and Ruby [Walsh] knocked him and I said ‘we’re flying now’ because every time Ruby knocks him we win.
“Straight to Cheltenham now. It’s probably the wrong race as he should go for the English National but there is only one Gold Cup.”
I think everyone had a fairly prosperous day...
FR PADDY BYRNE RIGHT, CO LAOIS