Horse racing and betting go hand in hand and have done so for many years. We have all heard the stories of famous betting coups, and we thought it would be great to create a page which focuses on a series called the “Horse Racing Betting Documentary”
So we tasked our horse racing expert Richard Smith to go out and research and find the Top 10 Horse Racing Betting Documentaries.
The list contains a mix of general horseracing, betting strategy and even looks at statistics.
Top 10 Horse Racing Betting Documentaries
Whether it be horse racing betting strategy, horse racing betting coups, or horse racing betting tips, then our Top 10 list should have something for everybody. A lot of these have come from YouTube and we hope you enjoy watching them.
They cover modern day horse racing betting stories and also so older stories as well.
1. Andy Holding – A Day In The Life Of A Professional Gambler
This horse racing betting documentary runs at just over 28 minutes and is a peek into the life of a professional gambler and tipster Andy Holding, which was published around 2 years ago.
It shows how Andy (who writes a column on the Oddschcker site) approaches horse racing betting from the perspective of a pro punter.
You can also skip to some of the best snippets of the video by using the links below.
- How Steve Gough influenced Andy Holding and his career as a professional punter?
- Betting at Dundalk, and How to play a lay bet on the betting exchange?
- How a pro punter deals with losing runs and betting responsibly?
- How to spot a potential winner of The Grand National?
- Are Irish runners at Wolverhampton good betting propositions?
2. Bill Benter – How This Man Profited $1 Billion Betting on Hong Kong Horse Races
This horse racing betting documentary was focused on Bill Benter who had invented a statistical model to win at horse racing. The story is one of how Benter originally read a book about beating the house at blackjack and how he used that theory to profit on betting on horse racing in Hong Kong.
It wasn’t plain sailing for Benter, as you’ll see in the video, but an enthralling story ensues as first he loses hundreds of thousands of dollars before making his model work.
You can also skip to some of the best snippets of the video by using the links below.
- How was Bill Benter affected by a book about blackjack which got him into horse racing betting?
- How did the gambler’s book club in Las Vegas help Benter shape is horse racing betting strategy?
- Was Benter’s first horse racing model successful?
- How did a hidden horse racing data set prove the turning point in Benter’s quest to profit from horse racing?
- What happened on June 14th that rocked Benters operation?
3. Barney Curley – The Yellow Sam Betting Coup
The late and legendary Barney Curley is the focus of this horse racing documentary. The softly-spoken Irishman became a legend in the horse racing betting world, being feared by bookmakers for his plots to win millions from the bookie’s satchels.
For the ordinary punter, Curley was a bit like a modern-day Robin Hood.
This video will really get your pulse racing as the story unfolds, and it was amazing as I was researching the video to find that the now Irish Champion Jumps trainer Willie Mullins actually rode in this same race.
You can also skip to some of the best snippets of the video by using the links below.
- How bad was Yellow Sam’s racing form before the big win?
- Did Barney Curley hate the bookmakers or was it all a game?
- How many £5 bets did it take to land the Yellow Sam Betting Coup?
- What were Willie Mullins thoughts as Yellow Sam came upsides?
- What would the stewards make of this no hope winning easily?
4. Harry Findlay – Life And Gambling
This four year old horse racing betting documentary by RacingTV is an absolute must-watch.
Findlay who was a well know greyhound punter and became famous for a £ 2 million punt that went astray on New Zealand to win the Rugby World Championships is better known as the half of the ownership duo of “The Tank” otherwise known as Denman.
Denman won The Gold Cup in 2008, but will rightly go down in racing history for his win in the 2007 Hennesey at Newbury when demolishing the opposition carrying 11st 12lbs.
Now, Findlay is one of those characters who is a bit like marmite, you either love him or you hate him. There is no middle ground. Outspoken, and brash, but a real character, the kind of which we do not really see in horse racing nowadays.
You can also skip to some of the best snippets of the video by using the links below.
- Where is my next pound note coming from asks Harry.
- What were Findlay’s first thoughts on Brixton?
- Big Fella Thanks, the racehorse or the greyhound?
- Why did the horse racing ownership partnership between Findlay and Paul Barber flourish?
- What did Paul Barber’s mate “The Colonel” say about Denman?
5. Fred Done – The Betfred Story
The story of the Done brothers Fred and Peter is depicted in this rags-to-riches horse racing betting documentary.
From humble beginnings in the smog and smoke of Salford to today running one of the most well know betting brands both on the high street and online.
A fascinating insight into a man, who even by his own admission, took far too long in moving Betfred to an online operation, and the story he tells about how Frankie Dettori’s Magnificent Seven nearly broke Betfred is an absolute must-watch.
You can also skip to some of the best snippets of the video by using the links below.
- Was Fred Done a genius at school or just a working-class lad from Salford?
- Was the birth of Betfred a big gamble or a calculated risk?
- Who was responsible for nearly putting Betfred out of business?
- So why did the company choose the name Betfred?
- Was Fred Done and Betfred the saviours of The Tote?
6. Carl O’Callaghan – Chasing The Win
This US-based horse racing betting documentary showcases a story about a young Irish trainer trying to make the grade in the US and training horses for an Irishman Patrick Sheehy.
O’Callaghan comes across in this documentary as a man who really cares about his horses and this charts the progress of Kinsale King, owned by Sheehy and a horse they campaigned right across the world, including Royal Ascot where they received a personal invite from the late Queen Elizabeth.
You can also skip to some of the best snippets of the video by using the links below.
- Who is Carl O’Callaghan the racehorse trainer?
- Why did Kinsale King get an invite from the late Queen Elizabeth to run at Royal Ascot?
- Did the shoes make all the difference to Kinsale King?
- Was it to be glory in the July Cup after a close third at Royal Ascot?
- Can I have a biscuit please Carl? Just stick it on my bill.
7. Joe Pesci – Behind The Gate
Famous actor Joe Pesci is the narrator in this horse racing betting documentary by Indie Rights Films
Although this is based on US horse racing, all racing fans will love the stories and the characters of this real-life behind the scenes look at horse racing in the US and some of the struggles faced by owners, trainers and jockeys, as well as the racetracks themselves.
You can also skip to some of the best snippets of the video by using the links below.
- What is the role of a jockey’s valet in the weighing room?
- Can a racehorse really make your heart skip a beat? Joe Pesci narrates the answer beautifully.
- What three tactics can be used to pick winners when horse racing betting?
- What can racetracks do to increase interest and attendance from local communities?
- All it takes is one great racehorse!
8. Adam Kucharski – How Science is Taking the Luck out of Gambling
Can a scientist who produces mathematical models to study infectious diseases use that knowledge to beat the house? This is not just a horse racing betting documentary but a video relating to horse racing, sports betting and casino probability.
It is fascinating to get a scientific view from a non-sports betting person, as it opens the eyes to some of the possibilities for general horse racing and sports betting fans.
You can also skip to some of the best snippets of the video by using the links below.
- A funny example of how not to gamble from Scientist Adam Kucharski had the audience in stitches!
- What did mathematician Karl Pearson take from studying biases with Roulette?
- How can a coin toss be used to determine whether a bet provides value?
- How does a simple square diagram from a racehorse trainer equate to betting on horses?
- How can the number of races a horse has run tell you the chances of it winning?
9. Nick Goff – Professional Punter
I must admit, this is not a horse racing betting documentary, but a horse racing betting interview with Pro punter Nick Goff and boy has Nick got some great stories that he tells in this interview.
One of the best ones is one of his first forays into playing the bookmaker with a group of Irish punters at the Dawn Run pub in Cheltenham.
And the story where he managed to escape a £400 payout to his school buddies who had all piled on Manchester Utd in the 1995 Cup final.
You can also skip to some of the best snippets of the video by using the links below.
- “Oh no! Warning’s a non-runner” A very funny story
- How did Nick Goff become the 1995 FA Cup and the school bookie?
- What lesson did Dawn Run and greyhound racing teach Nick?
- How did this pro punter first get started in the horse racing betting industry?
- Who was Superodds?
10. Bill Benter – What are my odds?
In this horse racing betting documentary and rare footage from 2015 we hear from Bill Benter himself who was asked to speak at The Third Congress of Mathematicians in China and how mathematical theory relates to gambling.
There is not much footage online of Benter and this is an excellent piece. It is interesting to hear what he said at the time, saying there was still an edge for gamblers, and in this video, he showed some of his equations that helped to achieve his success with betting on horses and answering his own question. Is horse racing betting profitable?
You can also skip to some of the best snippets of the video by using the links below.
- What are the three key concepts of gambling and probability where it relates to betting on horses?
- What have modern mathematical contributions done to give a greater edge to the punter?
- What is the Kelly Criterion?
- How have punters tried to beat the odds and succeed at horse racing betting?
- Who is Gu Mingao (Gu Ming Gao) and how did his model help Benter?
CONCLUSION
I must say, I had a lot of fun researching these horse racing betting documentaries and hopefully, you’ll also enjoy watching them as well.
All told there are more than five hours of horse racing betting documentary content in the ten videos above and I am sure there will be something of interest to all racing punters.
Make sure to follow our horse racing expert Richard Smith here at Ontheballbets and his regular pieces on all the big race meetings including the Cheltenham Festival, The Grand National, Royal Ascot, Glorious Goodwood, Qatar Prix De L’Arc de Triomphe, Breeders Cup, The Melbourne Cup.
RESPONSIBLE GAMBLING
The information on this page and across the Ontheballbets website is meant for entertainment purposes and should be viewed as such.
If you are betting on horse racing or any other sport then please make sure to bet responsibly. Only bet an amount that you can comfortably afford to lose.
If you feel you have a friend or relative has an issue with gambling, then there are groups and organisations that can offer support, such as BeGambleAware, GamStop and The National Gambling Helpline
