Yellow Sam aiming to win at Caulfield 50 years exactly after her Irish namesake pulled off famous betting plunge

Yellow Sam continues her comeback at Caulfield on Saturday, coincidently 50 years ago to the day the Irish hurdler she is named after landed a massive betting plunge.

A successful betting plunge at Caulfield would be a fitting tribute to her famous Irish namesake but comeback mare Yellow Sam has equally been a brilliant money spinner.

Yellow Sam has banked $423,840 prizemoney – 42 times his purchase price – with seven wins and six places from 16 starts for owners including trainer Lindsey Smith and long-time stable supporter Chris Wells.

Yellow Sam is $7 in the 1440m Open Handicap on Saturday at Caulfield from The Open ($3.90), Regal Vow ($6.50) and Run Harry Run ($7).

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Yellow Sam was named after an Irish galloper set to win a hurdle race at Bellewstown, north of Dublin, 50 years ago exactly – coincidently.

A late Irish trainer and professional punter-turned-philanthropist, Bernard “Barney” Curley, owned the old Yellow Sam and sealed a massive windfall with a meticulous plan.

Curley asked his trainer to target unsuitable races for Yellow Sam to fly under bookie and handicapper guards before the sting on June 26, 1975.

Curley identified Bellewstown specifically, as only two telephone lines serviced the small racecourse.

The private line, used by a company which supplied racing data to betting shops, malfunctioned coincidently the day Yellow Sam saluted at 20-1.

Curley had friends and paid runners in bookmaker shops across Ireland with cash and instructions to bet on a horse, not known to them at the time, once given the go-ahead.

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Curley contacted six or seven trusted associates 10 minutes before the jump and instructed them to each call 10-20 other runners.

Curley had a friend occupy the telephone box on-course, which prevented external bookies from being able to contact counterparts trackside to lay off Yellow Sam liabilities.

Yellow Sam won the hurdle by more than two lengths and Curley reportedly profited £300,000 — the equivalent of about $A3m today.

Smith and Wells learned of the Yellow Sam betting plunge through former assistant trainer Shane Jackson.

The trio identified Australian Yellow Sam at the 2021 Inglis Gold Yearling Sale in Melbourne and picked her up for only $10,000.

Yellow Sam, whose name was inspired by an Irish betting plunge, and (inset) the public telephone box at Bellewstown racecourse. Main picture: Racing Photo

Wells offered a share to Jackson, who transferred the percentage to his father-in-law, Jim Gault, as a timely birthday present.

Gault grew up in the same part of Ireland as the great Curley.

“Jim always wanted to have a horse called Yellow Sam, obviously being Irish and he loved racing and he knew the story,” Wells said.

“It was a little bit strange, ours being a filly, but we went with it anyway.

“He watches it (race from Ireland), gets a big thrill, he loves racing.”

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Yellow Sam resumed with a comeback Swan Hill triumph last start in the Golden Topaz after being sidelined last year, following the discovery of benign tumour, “a big balloon of blood”, in her hind gut.

Smith said the mare has trained on well since Swan Hill.

The Geelong-based Smith also has It’s A Yes, a $6.50 chance, in the 1440m 3YO Open Handicap.

It’s A Yes resumed with a solid fifth at Flemington and then finished fourth at Geelong second-up.

“He was disappointing the other day, but he seemed to not want to go after 50m,” Smith said.

“I’m banking on the (soft) track didn’t suit him … he didn’t look interested the other day.

“He’s a better horse than that … I expected more of him and I didn’t get it.

“He was always going to butter up into this race but I didn’t know if he was going to be the 1000m or the 1400m.

“He looked like he had no speed the other day, so I opted to go the 1400m.”

Originally published as Yellow Sam aiming to win at Caulfield 50 years exactly after her Irish namesake pulled off famous betting plunge