THE Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, Dr McDaid, returned home from the Cheltenham festival yesterday having scooped almost £75,000 from winning bets.
The victory of See More Business in the Gold Cup on Thursday marked the successful conclusion of a series of bets in which the horse was paired with Irish Champion hurdle hero Istabraq and Wednesday's Champion Chase winner Call Equiname.
Dr McDaid wagered almost £2,700 in doubles and trebles stretching back to last November. In the process, he won almost as much as his £83,948 ministerial salary.
Unlike his salary, however, his winnings are entirely tax-free.
While elated with the win, Dr McDaid said: "It's only a temporary loan from the bookies. I've been haemorrhaging £10 and £20 notes over the past few months. So in a sense, it's merely coming back to where it came from".
The win has had its downside too, he said, as he has been forced to pick up "a fair few tabs".
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