GRAHAM Rock, racing correspondent of The Observer and the first editor of the Racing Post was certainly in the right job.

I've heard of putting your shirt on a bet but this bloke put his life on one.

He was dying of cancer but still couldn't refuse a gamble on how long he would last.

First he bet on himself at 6-4 against to live long enough to see the Breeders Cup. He got one over on the bookies with that one as he watched the race confined to his bed but, unfortunately, he wasn't around long enough to cash in on the 100-1 gamble he had on himself being around at Christmas.

Once a gambling man, always a gambling man.