I am probably typical of most of the people who would be intrigued to know more about the man behind the name. I consider myself to be on the fringes of racing. I like a bet every now and then but have no access to genuine "inside information." I am not gullible enough to believe that everything is as it seems on the surface but, equally, I'm not totally convinced by the squeals of the conspiracy theorists every time a favourite gets beat.
Before reading this book my impressions of Mr Curley were that of a dour Irishman, with few friends, continually plotting to con money from the bookies.
After reading the book I'm not sure my opinion has changed that much. It was a great read. He's had a very colourful life, is basically a "good" person, and he knows the value and worth of a hard day's graft.
His big dilemna is dealing with the word HONESTY. He despises the lack of it in others, but will not admit (outwardly at least) to ever deviating from it himself. He tells of his coups with a certain smugness, the result of hours of careful planning and manipulation to hide the facts from his targets (the bookies). In Mr Curley's world, the hiding of facts, or the deliberate manipulation of a situation to lead the "victim" to draw an incorrect interpretation is not dishonest. It is merely applying his natural guile and cunning to best advantage. He doesn't actually lie!
He too does not admit the contradictions his way of life automatically provokes. Sometimes things fit all too conveniently in black and white slots. He is proud of being championed as "Punters Friend". Yet, the bookies need to exist and, in whatever guise, they will continue to do so. They will continue to manipulate odds to pay out (for example) £1,000 in winnings for every £1,200 they take in bets. It is the way things are. They don't care who they pay it to. To them all punters are A Punter. If Mr Curley is continually successful in his gambling he is so because of two things; a) his ability to see, understand, and intuitively interpret form better than most of us, and b) when backing his own horses he hides their ability from fellow punters in order to push the bookies' odds out.
He succeeded in outfoxing everyone for many years, and the proceeds have given him a comfortable lifestyle in the process, but spends the latter stages of the book berating spineless bookies for not laying him big bets at the odds he wants! Pot, kettle, black. In the jungle their are no rules. It is the philosophy he pursued to achieve his goal, yet is obviously not the philosophy to be applied against him!
Behind this there is a guilt, and, one senses, a sad loneliness. He appears to have few friends, but the ones he does have (such as Frankie Dettori) he holds dear and would stand by no matter what. Inside this mass of contradictions their is a goodness, a devout sense of right and wrong. The guilt comes from succeeding where others have not been so fortunate and one senses he finds redemption in his charity work.Likeable, I think so. Simple, definitely not. Honest, I don't know, but, as Barney would say "the form is all there - all you've got to do is read it, format your conclusions, and have the bottle to put your money on them". After several hundred pages enjoyment in reading the form he presents I'm not totally convinced that, as usual, Mr Curley hasn't kept the key lines hidden from us. Yes, we have the facts and figures, and a racereader's interpretation, but we are in the hands of a master deceiver. I think my money will be on the Falstaff colt out of a Cromwell mare!
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