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On
Thursday 16 March 2006, Williams laid McManus Ā£100,000 on Reveillez at 7ā1 in the first race of the Festival. It won. In the final race of the day McManus placed Ā£5,000 each-way on 50-1 outsider Kadoun, which also won. Williams lost over Ā£1,000,000 to McManus that day ā and all whilst filming a
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In 1966 Williams married Sheila, but they separated around 1997ā1998. Freddie and Sheila had two daughters, Elizabeth "Julie" and
Shirley. In March 2006, Freddie and Sheila divorced for a reputed Ā£1,000,000 settlement. Sheila also got to keep the modest family home in Holmhead, Cumnock.
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in 1976 but he was unable to purchase a pitch until a relaxation of regulations governing ownership of on-site bookmakers pitches in 1998. Williams paid Ā£90,000 for pitch number 2 at auction, the first ever sale of a pitch at
Cheltenham and only four weeks after his triple-heart-bypass.
162:, close friends of JP McManus. Williams laid one punter Ā£80,000 on Nick Dundee at 11/8 and without budging, immediately took another Ā£80,000 from the same punter. Williams stood to lose Ā£220,000. Nick Dundee fell at the third-last fence.
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That night, Williams and daughter Julie were subject to an armed robbery as they travelled back to their hotel from
Cheltenham. The robbers fled with an estimated Ā£70,000. Williams returned to Cheltenham the following year.
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As business grew, Freddie
Williams Bookmakers expanded to a chain of seven bookmaking shops. As of June 2008, this had been slimmed down to two, one in either of his hometowns, Cumnock and Auchinleck.
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On the day of his death he had pitched up at Ayr
Racecourse for what was to be the final time, before going on to Shawfield in the evening. Williams died shortly after his return home that night.
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Williams spent the later years of his life in a relationship with long-term partner
Margaret Gribben, but the pair never married, and his Ā£8 million estate passed on to his two daughters.
122:. He originally bought the restaurant in 2004 to deter his daughters from joining him in the betting industry. The business was not to be successful and was eventually liquidated.
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In March 2008 he returned to the
Festival accompanied by his own horse Donaldson. A rising public profile saw Williams undertake the writing of a Festival column for the
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reported
Williams as being a āboss from hellā. Following his death, Williams' 50,000 shares in the bottling operation were valued at over Ā£4.5 million.
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Williams' interests in the soft drinks market continued following the termination of his interests in Currie's. In 1992 he set up
Caledonian Bottlers in
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It was at Currie's that he first took to gambling. For years he was a boomaker's-runner, before taking up his first bookmaking pitch at
111:. At one time Williams also operated Caledonian Clear, his own premium bottled water brand from the same factory. In April 2002, the
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Williams went on take several high-profile bets from JP McManus, several of which were in the public domain.
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Since his death, Williams' daughter Julie has taken on the running of the bookmakers business.
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270:"Fearless Freddie is 'boss from hell' Bottling plant workers slam treatment by bookie owner"
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On 21 June 2008, Freddie Willams died having suffered a major heart attack at his home in
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In 1998 Williams suffered a massive heart attack and later underwent a triple-
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in Glasgow. At the time of his death, Williams owned a total of 11 pitches.
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158:. Williams laid short favourites Shannon Gale and Nick Dundee, owned by
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306:"The Friday interview: Fearless Freddie is racing's odds-on favourite"
258:"The Friday interview: Fearless Freddie is racing's odds-on favourite"
246:"The Friday Interview: Fearless Freddie is racing's odds-on favourite"
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He was the owner of 76 St Vincent Street, an Italian restaurant in
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the previous day (Friday) in order to attend both race meetings.
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In 1974 Williams bought his first horseracing bookmaking pitch at
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Williams shot to fame in March 2000, taking mammoth bets from
30:(28 October 1942 ā 21 June 2008) was a Scottish businessman,
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Williams first put his name down for a bookmaking pitch at
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342:"Death of 'Fearless' Freddy leaves betting world poorer"
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subsequently nicknamed Williams, āFearless Freddieā.
318:"EXCLUSIVE: FREDDIE DROPS Ā£1M IN MARRIAGE STOKES"
16:Scottish bookmaker and businessman (1942ā2008)
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294:"Freddie drops Ā£1M in marriage Stokes"
330:"Legendary bookie leaves Ā£8m fortune"
282:"Legendary bookie leaves Ā£8m fortune"
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59:Auchinleck Greyhound Stadium
88:. He also owned a pitch at
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308:, The Scotsman, 2008-04-18
272:, Daily Record, 2002-04-03
260:, The Scotsman, 2008-04-18
248:, The Scotsman, 2008-04-18
320:, Sunday Mail, 2006-04-02
296:, Sunday Mail, 2006-04-02
50:. Following a successful
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346:Edinburgh Evening News
221:Musselburgh Racecourse
154:amongst others at the
78:Musselburgh Racecourse
332:, Deadline 2009-03-02
284:, Deadline 2009-03-02
144:Cheltenham Racecourse
86:Cheltenham Racecourse
381:People from Cumnock
156:Cheltenham Festival
99:Business interests
42:mining village of
90:Shawfield Stadium
70:Irvine Racecourse
52:management buyout
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371:2008 deaths
366:1942 births
113:Sunday Mail
105:Netherthird
376:Bookmakers
360:Categories
234:References
152:JP McManus
138:Cheltenham
126:Ill health
48:Auchinleck
164:Channel 4
36:bookmaker
40:Ayrshire
24:Fearless
120:Glasgow
44:Cumnock
32:gambler
20:Freddie
217:Skares
196:Family
211:Death
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