Behins The Scenes In Newmarket: Flavins bring their own brand of fun to town hgsdjhsdgjsdhgsdjhdggg.

Byline: Tony Elves

Newmarket bade farewell to Patrick and Tish Flavin last Monday after the colourful American and his charming wife had given the locals a lesson in the art of having a good time.

Flavin, who formerly owned Maywood Park on the outskirts of Chicago, made his fortune in computer software with his company American Data and first had horses with the great Bernard van Cutsem.

Now 63, he enjoyed good times with Mick Ryan with such horses as Greene Normandy, Acadie, Link Market and Saluting Walter, and his latest visit coincided with the wedding of trainer's son John.

Great friend Shippy Ellis, Ryan snr and his wife Anne were among others present for the `Last Supper' at the Hole In The Wall at Little Wilbraham, which started at Sunday lunchtime and went on until some undisclosed hour on Monday morning.

The couple were on the final leg of a ten-day stint which had taken in visits to Dublin and Paris as part of celebrations for their 24th wedding anniversary on October 6.

What lies in store for that evening remains a secret, but when trainer Alan Bailey states he would put his money on Flavin in a drinking contest against a camel in the desert, there is every reason to believe the drink will be flowing.

Tish says: "We have thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Newmarket. We always have a wonderful time and eagerly await our next visit."

The return leg of the contest for many of the participants could take place in the quieter months of the year when they visit the Flavin's hotel, Bahia Cabana, which sits between the beach and inter-coastal waterway at Fort Lauderdale.

Olivier Peslier, Gary Carter and Philip Robinson have visited the idyllic spot in the past, and Ellis has only one description of the hotelier: "He's a lunatic!"

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Patrick and Tish Flavin take more happy memories back to the States