'He Was Part of Racing's Fabric': Tributes Flow for Jimmy Hayes The Irish Angle team have expressed shock and sadness following the death of veteran bookmaker Jimmy Hayes, who passed away after suffering a serious fall at Tipperary races last week. The 74-year-old was a notable figure in Irish betting rings and was remembered for his decades of service to the sport. "He was always there, attached to the McManus outfit primarily and poor Jimmy had a very bad fall and didn't survive it on Thursday at Tipperary," editor Vincent Finegan said. Hayes, who was closely associated with JP McManus throughout his career, was a familiar face to generations of racegoers, having been a constant presence in the betting ring since the 1970s. His sudden passing has prompted reflections on his contribution to Irish racing history and the changing nature of the on-course betting landscape. Heartfelt tributes from industry figures The news of Hayes' passing sparked heartfelt tributes from several prominent industry figures who highlighted his professional approach and character. Racing pundit Johnny Ward noted that while he only knew of Hayes rather than knowing him personally, the wider reaction to his passing spoke volumes about his standing in the racing community. "Ray Mulvaney gave an interview where he was really, really sad about the loss of Jimmy and what he meant in the betting ring," Johnny explained, adding that Anthony Kaminskas had expressed similar sentiments online. Vincent added that Hayes had been "thick as thieves" with Seamus Mulvaney, Ray's uncle, reflecting the close-knit nature of the Irish betting community. Titans of the Betting Ring Hayes' death follows the recent passing of other notable figures from the traditional betting ring, Johnny Ward added: “Characters like Jimmy Hayes and David Hyland, who was such a great character; David Power, who was a quiet man but a titan in the ring, the three of them passing away in no time at all is a big loss”. Johnny reflected: "Just listening to people by all accounts, Jimmy was a real gentleman, didn't say a lot, but he was a shrewd operator, and anyone who was obviously half of an axis with JP McManus couldn't be anything but that." Watch the full Irish Angle show:
