Phil Bull
Encyclopedia
Phil Bull was a professional gambler, racehorse owner and publisher, who founded Portway Press Ltd, publishers of Timeform
racehorse rating guides, one of the most well-known form guides for British horse racing
.
, West Yorkshire
, the son of a miner and a schoolteacher. In 1931 he graduated from Leeds University with a degree
in mathematics
. This mathematical grounding, as well as his interest in horse racing led him to develop his own technique for time-based evaluation of racehorse performance, from which the Timeform
handicapping
system developed. Although his first career after leaving university was as a teacher in London
, he quickly gave it up to become a professional gambler.
. By the 1940s, Bull was betting in earnest using his self-devised time ratings which he also sold under the pseudonym
of the Temple Time Test, becoming in the process a well-known figure on British racecourses. His circle of friends included other significant betting and racing figures of the day, including bookmaker
William Hill
and celebrities from beyond the world of racing such as Bud Flanagan
and The Crazy Gang
.
His own betting records show that between 1943 and 1974 his cumulative profit from betting was £295,987 (nearly £5 million in 1995 prices), although other sources put this figure at over £500,000
.
, Phil Bull teamed up with Dick Whitford, who like Bull, had developed his own handicapping
ratings system. The enterprise was christened Timeform
because while Phil Bull’s ratings' methodology focused on the probable speed a race would be run at, Dick Whitford’s approach was more form driven. The first Timeform publication was published in 1948 and between then and his death, Bull headed the company.
Timeform
Timeform Publications is a publishing company in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England founded in 1948 to provide information to fans, bettors, and others involved in the horse racing industry...
racehorse rating guides, one of the most well-known form guides for British horse racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
.
Early life
Phil Bull was born in HemsworthHemsworth
Hemsworth is a small town and civil parish on the edge of West Yorkshire, England. It forms part of the City of Wakefield, and has a population of 13,311....
, West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, the son of a miner and a schoolteacher. In 1931 he graduated from Leeds University with a degree
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
in mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
. This mathematical grounding, as well as his interest in horse racing led him to develop his own technique for time-based evaluation of racehorse performance, from which the Timeform
Timeform
Timeform Publications is a publishing company in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England founded in 1948 to provide information to fans, bettors, and others involved in the horse racing industry...
handicapping
Handicapping
Handicapping, in sport and games, is the practice of assigning advantage through scoring compensation or other advantage given to different contestants to equalize the chances of winning. The word also applies to the various methods by which the advantage is calculated...
system developed. Although his first career after leaving university was as a teacher in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, he quickly gave it up to become a professional gambler.
Gambling
Bull had started betting as a schoolboy and could recall a winning bet on Caerlon at 25/1 in the Epsom DerbyEpsom Derby
The Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
. By the 1940s, Bull was betting in earnest using his self-devised time ratings which he also sold under the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
of the Temple Time Test, becoming in the process a well-known figure on British racecourses. His circle of friends included other significant betting and racing figures of the day, including bookmaker
Bookmaker
A bookmaker, or bookie, is an organization or a person that takes bets on sporting and other events at agreed upon odds.- Range of events :...
William Hill
William Hill (businessman)
William Hill was the founder of William Hill, one of the United Kingdom's largest firms of bookmakers.-Career:...
and celebrities from beyond the world of racing such as Bud Flanagan
Bud Flanagan
Bud Flanagan was a popular English music hall and vaudeville entertainer from the 1930s until the 1960s. Flanagan was famous as a wartime entertainer and his achievements were recognised when he was awarded the O.B.E. in 1960.- Family background :Flaganan was born Chaim Reuben Weintrop in...
and The Crazy Gang
The Crazy Gang
The Crazy Gang were a group of British entertainers, formed in the early 1930s. In the mature form the group's six men were Bud Flanagan, Chesney Allen, Jimmy Nervo, Teddy Knox, Charlie Naughton and Jimmy Gold...
.
His own betting records show that between 1943 and 1974 his cumulative profit from betting was £295,987 (nearly £5 million in 1995 prices), although other sources put this figure at over £500,000
.
Timeform
Following the end of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Phil Bull teamed up with Dick Whitford, who like Bull, had developed his own handicapping
Handicapping
Handicapping, in sport and games, is the practice of assigning advantage through scoring compensation or other advantage given to different contestants to equalize the chances of winning. The word also applies to the various methods by which the advantage is calculated...
ratings system. The enterprise was christened Timeform
Timeform
Timeform Publications is a publishing company in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England founded in 1948 to provide information to fans, bettors, and others involved in the horse racing industry...
because while Phil Bull’s ratings' methodology focused on the probable speed a race would be run at, Dick Whitford’s approach was more form driven. The first Timeform publication was published in 1948 and between then and his death, Bull headed the company.
External links
- http://www.timeform.com www.timeform.com