Star Sports will name one of the races on their sponsored card at Fontwell on Sunday after Barry Dennis, honouring the legendary on-course bookmaker who passed away late last year.
‘The Barry Dennis Trophy’ will be run in memory of Dennis on Sunday at Fontwell at 3.30pm – the fourth race on a full card sponsored by Star Sports – with a bespoke Barry Dennis trophy awarded to the winner.
Although a competitor to Star in the betting ring, Dennis’ family are firmly within the fabric of Star Group with his son, Pat Dennis, the current Acquisitions and Development Director at Star Property as well as his wife Emma and their daughter Nell who are also employed by Star Group.
Pat Dennis said: “Dad always loved operating in the betting ring at Fontwell. It’s lovely for Star to sponsor a race in his memory following his passing in October.
“Whilst Barry Dennis and Star had a long history of fierce betting ring competition, we worked together on many collaborative projects and in the current era of timid, characterless bookmakers my father always had the greatest respect for them as fearless layers and fair operators.”
Star Sports owner Ben Keith said: “We will be remembering Barry Dennis at Fontwell this Sunday, the best Tattersalls bookmaker I’ve ever seen. He had such presence on the pitch, everyone knew he was there, an enormous man in many ways.”
Star Sports Managing Director Flynn Goward said: “The Dennis family have had a close relationship with us at Star for many years, with Pat and his wife Emma integral parts of the Star Group.
“I personally met Barry at the age of 10 at Windsor, where I asked him how I could become an on-course bookmaker. He proceeded to tell my Dad that he would need to stump up ‘half a bar, then take it from there!’
“We feel privileged to be able to honour Barry’s memory by dedicating a race in his name at Fontwell this weekend. Seeing the Dennis family present the trophy will be emotional, but all the same a lovely scene.”
The feature race of the day is the Star Sports National Spirit Hurdle at 3.00pm, the race before the Barry Dennis Trophy, for which Star Sports have filmed a documentary-style piece on one of the entries from local trainers Gary and Josh Moore, Salver. Visiting the yard last week ahead of the Star Sports National Spirit Hurdle, Star caught up with both Gary and Josh, Salver’s owner Keith Graves, as well as his jockey Caoilin Quinn and his groom, Chloe.
