Bookies betting against psychic
A CROOK psychic is going up against a national bookmaker in a battle to choose the winning horses at the Grand National.While betting website GrandNational.org will be using conventional methods such as studying form and trends to choose six horses, Dean “Midas” Maynard will be relying on his psychic skills to select the triumphant equines.
A spokesman for Grand National.org said: "Could a psychic really do better than us and our years of horse-racing expertise? “Of course not, it’s just a load of mumbo-jumbo.
“The challenge has been agreed that at this year’s Grand National we'll both pick six horses and see whose selections fare best. “Of course, we're confident of proving Dean wrong."
Dean, who has something of a reputation for predicting and bringing good fortune to sporting teams such as Reading football club and Super Bowl winners the New York Giants as well as X-Factor stars Leona Lewis and Niki Evans, is optimistic that his psychic talents will once again prevail.
Dean said: "The sceptics will be rubbing their hands together waiting for me to lose, but my record speaks for itself and I am very confident I will give the tipsters a run for their money. “Originally they wanted me to choose six horse but have now changed it to four. I think they’re scared and are playing the law of averages.
“It’s all a bit of fun really. I know nothing about racing or betting, I even need someone to show me which box to tick on the betting slip.” The four horses chosen by Dean are Bewley’s berry, Simon, Comply Or Die and MacKelvy, last years runner up.
Dean said: “Bewley’s berry is trained in Crook and I had a feeling he would do quite well last year which he did until he fell. Mackelvy finished second last year and could have won it but for a strained tendon. The other two horses were just a gut feeling. I don’t know anyone called Simon so wasn’t influenced in that way, and I thought Comply Or die was quite apt as I’m going up against a bookmakers.”
One of Dean’s horses tipped for greatness is Bewley’s Berry which is trained at Howard Johnson’s White Lea Farm in Crook. Lucy Johnson, Howard’s daughter said: “Bewley’s berry is a great horse. He ran last year and did really well until he fell, finishing eighth. Of course he’s got a chance this year but anything can happen at the Grand National.”
Grandnational.org will put a £10 bet on each of the eight horses and will give an winnings to charity.
Dean said: “It’s really nice of them to do that and I’ll do something along the same lines. Any money I get will go to the Tilly Lockey appeal. I’m doing this for fun, not financial gain. If I lose though, I’ll probably be unreachable for a few days.”