Indian Derby: This man helps others make a quick buck

While there was a lot of hustle and bustle around bookies at the Indian Derby at the Mahalaxmi Race Course on Sunday, there was one man who was grabbing equal attention. Vispy Irani, making his presence felt at the Indian Derby for the 20th time, was sharing his knowledge to help rookies make a quick buck.

It wasn't tough for one to notice Irani's heavy frame and Parsi accent. While a race card kept one of his hands busy, the other was occupied by shaking hands and giving pats on the backs of those who had won big. The 47-year-old himself had earned Rs 34,000 at the end of the day.

"I used come here with my father who was an avid horse racing lover. Over the course of time, the word spread that this person is good with his bets. Slowly, you make a name for yourself here," Irani, who is lovingly called Bawa and who has been helping people for the past four years, said.

One of the many people to benefit from Irani's tips on Sunday was Ashok Kalani, a businessman from Kalyan who made a profit of Rs 2,250 on his bet of Rs 1,500.

"It's my first time here. I had no idea who the favourites were. But I saw that there was someone called Bawa who is helping people around. And he seems to be pretty good," Kalani said. Irani, who works at a construction company in Boisar said he spends a couple of days before the derby for research on the internet.

"I must have helped around 10-15 people today (Sunday) and each of them must have won around Rs 7,500-Rs 10,000 on what they bet. It may be a small amount in comparison to bets of lakhs and crores, but when people who ask for my help win, I consider that as my victory too," Irani said, who doesn't charge a penny for his advice.