Cheltenham Winner Harry Findlay Forks Out Fortune On Secret Celtic Trips For Skint Kids

Mar 23 2008 By Raymond Hainey

CHAMPION racehorse owner Harry Findlay is spending hundreds of thousands of pounds to help teenagers follow Celtic in Europe.

Super punter Harry dug deep after hearing the Dublin schoolkids endured 24-hour bus and ferry marathons to Glasgow to watch their beloved club.

The millionaire owner of this year's Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Denman funded the dream trips to Barcelona and Copenhagen to watch the Bhoys in action.

But Paisley-born Harry, 45, admitted his family were all Rangers fans.

He said: "I'm on the Rangers side of things although I don't support either club.

"The school is in one of Dublin's poorer areas. They're real football fans and don't have much money so I thought I'd help out.

"It's not just the football - they go to the right restaurants and see the sights too.

"And out of the hundreds of kids who do these trips, three or four will have their lives changed by it, which is great."

Teachers at Drimnagh Castle Secondary blew the whistle on Harry's good deeds.

English teacher Mick Cuddy said Harry, who now lives near Bath, even went along to make sure the kids had a good time.

He added: "Harry's extremely generous.

Some of the youngsters could never have afforded to do what they've done."

Harry - who has won and lost several fortunes - refused to say how much he had spent but admitted: "It's been quite a few quid over the years but money's just gambling chips in the game of life."

He now wants to set up a charity to help kids attend great sporting events.

He added: "I just need to find the right partners to help get it off the ground."