Catching the train from Norwich to Great Yarmouth, I looked along the isle way for a seat and there he was, Eddie ‘The Shoe’ Fremantle, heading to the racecourse.
You may have seen Mr. Fremantle at racecourses across the country and you’ve definitely seen him on Racing TV, often with Lydia Hislop, giving his thoughts on the card. These days he is a freelance journalist and well respected by press and punters alike. It should come as no surprise that he learned his trade from being a professional punter.
Fremantle detailed in a series of insightful videos with Star Sport (2018) that from a young age he backed Lassalle in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in 1973. However, it was in his teenage years that he took a real interest in the ‘Sport of King’.
A chance meeting on a train to Ludlow gave him his first job working on Racing & Football Outlook. By all accounts he got chatting to deputy editor Ian Davies. A few months passed and Davies was made editor and he contacted Fremantle with the job offer as a sports tipster.
Later, he worked with the now defunct Sporting Life as the ‘Man on the Spot’ for four years.
In the 1990s he devoted his time solely to being a professional gambler and backing horses for a living. However, after 8 years he returned to journalism taking a prized job with The Observer as racing correspondent although continues to be a pro gambler.
This allowed him press access to racecourses and facilities.
Fremantle still bets to this day and a regular pundit on Racing TV. In fact, he has been a horse racing pundit and writer since 1999.
Even to this day, he goes to the racecourse four or five times a week. He said he is a ‘modest punter’ preferring to bet small which often helps with losing runs. He quoted: ‘If you bet rarely with big money you really have to get it right!’
Also, he said: ‘If you never chase your losses you’ll never get them back.’ Clearly, he advises responsible gambling but there is logic in what he says.
‘There is no substitute for hard work.’
He advised punters to:
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Stick to your chosen niche (Flat or National Hunt)
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Study the form from press and video
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Examine the performance of every horse and every race
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Do ‘something different’ to set yourself apart from the crowd
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Spot something overlooked by the rank and file of the betting public
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Prepare your own betting ‘tissue’ to find value and even bet on more than one horse in a race
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A high number of bets is often better than a selective approach
As far as I am aware, Eddie Fremantle hasn’t written a gambling biography as seen by the likes of Dave Nevison, Harry Findlay or Patrick Veitch. However, I would suspect Fremantle’s stories would surpass them all.
There are many talented racing journalists and pundits but few are as respected as this quietly spoken man.
Eddie Freemantle’s twitter account: https://twitter.com/eddietheshoe