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Who We Are
Ian Cox
Coxy has been interested in horse racing from a very early age, in fact you could argue it’s in his blood thanks to his Grandad! From the age of 2 (ish!) he would sit on his Grandad’s knee, watching the racing on TV and listening to stories of his time working as a Stable Lad in Newmarket for trainer Ossie Bell. It was during his time at the stables he met and worked with legendary jockey Harry Wragg - In a 27-year riding career, Wragg rode over 1700 winners in Britain and Ireland, including three victories in The Derby and ten in other British Classic Races. It was listening to these stories of how the horses were trained, how the stables operated, and the different jockey styles, in particular the “Head Waiter” Wragg, that resulted in Coxy falling in love with the sport sat right there on his Grandads knee.
Growing up a stones throw from Aintree, the Grand National was always the most important date on the calendar, but it didn’t take long for that to be over taken by the Cheltenham Festival! Since the mid 90s Coxy hasn’t missed a single festival (except for 2001 when it was cancelled!), and that week in March is now the first in the diary, simply marked as Christmas Week!
During the summer means regular trips to Chester and Haydock, his local courses, to get stuck into the flat racing – as well as trips around the country for all the big meetings. But it’s winter jumping that gets us really excited, wrapping up warm, and getting into the heart of the action at all the best jumps tracks across the UK. Coxy has landed some incredible tips for our members/listeners to the podcast already, and over the years has landed some very tasty bets, particularly at Cheltenham… his ambition is to go straight through the card one day at the festival, something he’s nearly achieved a few times!! It’s coming…
As well as our podcast and members tips, we will hopefully be going live on our social media from the race track to bring you are best picks as they happen.
Dave Clarke
My first clear football memory was the 1989 FA Cup final and that is when I realised Liverpool was the team I wanted to follow. I was crazy about football, I would buy shoot and match magazines every week with my pocket money. I pestered my dad for years to take me my first game, my moment finally came on the 16th Oct 1993 and if I close my eyes I can still get that unbelievable feeling when I first came up the stairs and looked down into the standing kop and across Anfield. That first game would set me up for what was to come following Liverpool for life. 0-1 down to Oldham Athletic in the 90th minute, Robbie Fowler scores his first ever league goal to equalise and then an OG deep into injury time to secure a 2-1 win. I am now in my 23rd season as a season ticket holder.
I have been lucky enough to follow Liverpool away since the late 90’s going old school grounds such as the Dell, Highbury, Maine road and Highfield road and also into Europe. Highlights include Roma away 2001, Camp Nou with the classic golf fight between Bellamy and Riise both scoring in a 2-1 win, the Champions league final in Madrid 2019 and of course the famous Istanbul 2005. I also loved going every game Liverpool played in Cardiff which included the 2 most crazy celebrations I have been involved in, Owen’s winner against Arsenal FA Cup final 2001, and behind the goal for Gerrards equaliser deep into stoppage time FA Cup final 2006. I fulfilled a life long dream in July 2014, I won a competition and played 90 minutes at Anfield with my manager being Robbie Fowler.
I am obsessed with watching football. All football. Any country, any division! This obsession of watching any football game assists me when I am picking out my football selections, everybody knows I love to back a home team! Even during the first lockdown at one point there was only one league playing – the Belarussian and for a few months I really got into watching all the games and won a fair few quid on goal scorers! It has actually made me think after writing this how do I have time to do anything else apart from football?!!
Chris Hodgkinson
Chris is our host or as most of his mates call him - Hodge, loves just about any sport from football, rugby and boxing to fencing, rounders and bowls. A home and away follower of the greatest team on the planet (his words) Wigan Athletic.
You will usually hear him trying to pluck out a silly play on words against a horse or trying to keep the lads in check to ensure the tips are given out.
Not shy at the odd gamble himself he likes to find a hot tip out of the ordinary, so keep a look out for "Chris's Random Bet of the Week" - but most of the time just leaves it to our experts.