Just stumbled across this channel, great interview, that man, Mark Read is an absolute legend, I could listen to him all day, would love to sit down with a beer and listen to more of his stories, very smart and talented, love the old days
Mark Read without a doubt, was one of the greatest innovators of betting across-the-board, I was fortunate to be a young fellow working at the track when Mark arrived in Sydney to be bookmaker, he gave the betting ring a pizzazz, which it had never seen before . Great days !!! I wish they could come back like that again
Loved the chat with Mark but felt he was continually interrupted when he had so much more to offer. Let the man telling the story tell the story. I feel he is spot on with the future of Australian racing, race club directors with their snout in the trough whilst winning punters can’t get a bet on! Love to hear more of his Kong Kong racing thoughts. Cheers
Get rid of corporates,decimal boards and closed rings might be a start. Not only have we lost the greatest gambling industry in the world we have lost part of the Australian culture. Criminal. Yet to find an answer.
Enjoyed listening to Mark Reed. Knowledgeable, entertaining man. I can only imagine some of the stories he can't divulge. Impressed by his honesty about the people who mentored him, respect and gratitude shown.
Great interview. Just makes me depressed to think how good the industry was in the seventies . Wentworth Park had 52 bookmakers including away ring plus another dozen or more in the ledger betting to losing figures on nearly every race.
Good to see thus. I ran bets for dad in the mid 80s at 15 yo but I looked 20. Ready would always take the bets upwards of a 1g. If I recall he was the only bookmaker that could payout . On the day . I don't think even Packer broke Mark Reid. As he bankrupted many in the 80s . Reidy was a Gentleman of a fellow !!
Mark is spot on about the different economy on the racetrack. In the 70’s I was earning $83 a week as an apprentice printer and putting on $2,000 bets. I will never forget being at Canterbury the day Getting Closer won…and High Signal not many years after.
diamondandrust is incorrect!! The gentleman Mark Read was trying to think of was not Abe Saffron the mans name was Joe Taylor, George Freeman had very little to do with Abe Saffron if anything at all
Great interview and mark is the innovator of what we have today but his stories do drag on. Speaks like your grand father thats had one to many drinks. I sound like a negative nanty but its how i see it. I still owe AIS $17000 from the early 2000s thanks to a upheld protest in sydney an early payout on that race and an all in bet on the following race in brisbane which was a loss. They chased me till they sold the business.
Had the pleasure of meeting Mark & his wife on the Gold Coast in the late "70s & their 2 sons betting on Hong Kong exotics a decade ago. What a great innovating family !
Australia had the greatest betting industry in the world in the late seventies now we have nothing. Criminal. The industry is run by people who don't bet .pathetic
Racing without serious betting. Absolute joke. Look at the ring at Wentworth park Dogs in late seventies. Rob and Dave Waterhouse. Peter Todd. Roger Manning. Ray Hopkins.John Stollery and many more who would let you on for 20k plus 40; years ago.
Robyn, Mark Read did not run racing. He was a bookmaker/Punter, and one of the most talented of all time. He revolutionised doing the form, punters these days don't need to do the form themselves. It's all of the fingertips of the push of a button on a computer, in Mark Reads day you had to do it yourself, and actually know something about racing
Well done Richard Irvine and thanks to Mark Read, continuing to educate the punters with these fantastic discussions.
How could you be yawning and falling asleep during Marks great playback about the Getting Closer plunges??!!!!!!
100% interviewer was depressing
Yeh the interviewer is a bit of a bozo
Just stumbled across this channel, great interview, that man, Mark Read is an absolute legend, I could listen to him all day, would love to sit down with a beer and listen to more of his stories, very smart and talented, love the old days
Very interesting look-back at the massive changes that have taken place in Australian racing with a warning for the future. Loved it!
Mark Read without a doubt, was one of the greatest innovators of betting across-the-board, I was fortunate to be a young fellow working at the track when Mark arrived in Sydney to be bookmaker, he gave the betting ring a pizzazz, which it had never seen before . Great days !!!
I wish they could come back like that again
Fantastic chat! Should be a movie telling this story. Absolute champ of the industry 🏇💪
Loved the chat with Mark but felt he was continually interrupted when he had so much more to offer. Let the man telling the story tell the story. I feel he is spot on with the future of Australian racing, race club directors with their snout in the trough whilst winning punters can’t get a bet on! Love to hear more of his Kong Kong racing thoughts. Cheers
The other bloke needs to learn to shut up & listen....his ears must be painted on.
Get rid of corporates,decimal boards and closed rings might be a start. Not only have we lost the greatest gambling industry in the world we have lost part of the Australian culture. Criminal. Yet to find an answer.
*Absolutely outstanding! That was awesome.*
This is a great clip! Thanks for the content!
Enjoyed listening to Mark Reed. Knowledgeable, entertaining man. I can only imagine some of the stories he can't divulge.
Impressed by his honesty about the people who mentored him, respect and gratitude shown.
Great talk, mans a legend. Looking forward to more
Great video guys 🐎💰
Love this , great work.. great work RIchard 👏
Been looking forward to this one!
Just found this interview, fantastic guys. Fascinating watch
Great interview. Just makes me depressed to think how good the industry was in the seventies . Wentworth Park had 52 bookmakers including away ring plus another dozen or more in the ledger betting to losing figures on nearly every race.
Good to see thus. I ran bets for dad in the mid 80s at 15 yo but I looked 20. Ready would always take the bets upwards of a 1g. If I recall he was the only bookmaker that could payout . On the day . I don't think even Packer broke Mark Reid. As he bankrupted many in the 80s . Reidy was a Gentleman of a fellow !!
Mark is spot on about the different economy on the racetrack. In the 70’s I was earning $83 a week as an apprentice printer and putting on $2,000 bets.
I will never forget being at Canterbury the day Getting Closer won…and High Signal not many years after.
Wondering if Mark got second degree sunburn from the interview 😎
thankyou mark, was the best interstate bookie of all time. dressed like a superstar.
Well played Richard
Smart man 👍🏼 surrounded by typical fools
Thanks Richard. One of the best up there with the Betfred story. Bit of an echo chamber only negative.
diamondandrust is incorrect!!
The gentleman Mark Read was trying to think of was not Abe Saffron the mans name was Joe Taylor, George Freeman had very little to do with Abe Saffron if anything at all
At the 29:45 minute mark Mark Read was probably trying to recall the name of Abe Saffron
Great interview and mark is the innovator of what we have today but his stories do drag on. Speaks like your grand father thats had one to many drinks. I sound like a negative nanty but its how i see it. I still owe AIS $17000 from the early 2000s thanks to a upheld protest in sydney an early payout on that race and an all in bet on the following race in brisbane which was a loss. They chased me till they sold the business.
When Dom gave it away about 1987 I new the game was up never to return . Now it is tiddlewinks
Julain Gauld would be a great person to interview next
Had the pleasure of meeting Mark & his wife on the Gold Coast in the late "70s & their 2 sons betting on Hong Kong exotics a decade ago. What a great innovating family !
Australia had the greatest betting industry in the world in the late seventies now we have nothing. Criminal. The industry is run by people who don't bet .pathetic
Abe Saffron aka Mr Sin was the guy /criminal Mark was trying to think of who ran the Cross in the 60s and 70s
Great interview but gee i wish you would let them finish their answer and not try and answer it for them.
Cheers and noted 🤝
1 hour 19 minutes before someone twigged this worked better with you both in the one camera. Very jarring before that. But fine content.
Great stories but seasick from the camera switching between Richie and Mark. Like watching tennis on 5x speed.
Great interview, feedback try sort out a better microphone setup for better hearing
Yep we have that sorted now
used his horse ratings for years
Racing without serious betting. Absolute joke. Look at the ring at Wentworth park Dogs in late seventies. Rob and Dave Waterhouse. Peter Todd. Roger Manning. Ray Hopkins.John Stollery and many more who would let you on for 20k plus 40; years ago.
Note that house in Elizabeth Bay is now on the market for 80 million. Beats the punt. Lol
Wow. Interesting
He sold it for six
Marble Hall's???
The corporates and decimal boards killed the game
Good to see you yawning Richie. This dinosaur is a joke. Thank God these guys don’t run racing anymore
Robyn, Mark Read did not run racing. He was a bookmaker/Punter, and one of the most talented of all time.
He revolutionised doing the form, punters these days don't need to do the form themselves. It's all of the fingertips of the push of a button on a computer, in Mark Reads day you had to do it yourself, and actually know something about racing
Your kidding, right? lol