Dorothy Paget: The Biggest Gambler to Walk the Turf

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Dorothy Paget: The Biggest Gambler to Walk the Turf
Dorothy Paget was a gambler like no other. 

If you went back to the 1940s, there were a couple of woman gamblers who would make J.P.McManus look like a child betting penny sweets. Well, perhaps not quite to that extent but you understand hyperbole. 

Paget was a beast. 

She was a wealthy woman who loved a good bet. With a wealthy family, she didn't need to worry about cash whether it went south, west, east or north. There wasn't an issue of going into the red. Even when she spent millions on bloodstock and buying thoroughbred horses. In fact, she had a stud in Ireland that she didn't even bother to visit. 

Paget didn't live by anyone's rules. She was eccentric to the point of being volatile. She slept all day and woke at night. Her favourite time to phone her horse trainers. When you pay the bills you expect your staff to go the extra mile. She simply wanted to hear the latest gallop reports at 2am.

Basil Briscoe, who trained her wonder horse Golden Miller was her favourite victim to torment. Winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup 5 times (1932 - 1936) wasn't enough. Doing the double of the Aintree Grand National and Gold Cup in the same year (1934) didn't pass muster. Not when the titan failed to win the following year. 

Briscoe referred to Paget saying horses were easier to train. 

However, from the 18 trainers she had over the years, she was indifferent to their wants or needs. She paid the bills and had expectations. Strangely, she called her employees by colours rather than their names.  

She would use every colour under the sun except for green which she despised.

Fulke Walwyn thought he was in her good books when 5 of her horses won on the card. She screamed at him for losing the sixth.  

Paget loved to bet. She didn't bet a few quid. The equivalent of £320,000 was a normal day at the office. Clearly, she bet to win but with her wealth she wasn't overly fussed whatever happened. William Hill had a few run ins with her. In fact, bookies we so invested in taking her bets that they'd employ someone to do a night shift. She was worth £100M and didn't flinch about betting £4M at a time. 

Paget was a leading Flat and National Hunt owner and even had an Epsom Derby winner, Straight Deal (1943). 

She was as famous as royalty. 

For all her attitude, Paget had a generous side and gave to charities. However, she didn't suffer fools and you got the impression she thought most men were 24 carat fools. 

Paget lived a life to excess. The night owl who loved to gamble and did what she wanted. 

She passed away in 1960 at the age of 54. 

Photo: Freepik 

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