DANNY Shea's dying wish was for his family.

Byline: Tony Parsons 

DANNY Shea's dying wish was for his family to empty the biscuit tin and stick a pounds 250 bet on rank outsider Mon Mome in the Grand National.

As we now know, Mon Mome romped home at an eye-watering 100-1, the longest-priced horse to win the Grand National since Foinavon won in the historic, fencecrunching chaos of 1967. "He was generally pretty useless at picking winners," says Danny's widow, Pat. "He didn't have much of a clue but he liked to put a bet on."

But Danny, who died five months ago of kidney cancer, got it right this time - in spectacular fashion.

Before his death he insisted that the winnings be shared among the people he loved most and the photo of his family displaying the winning betting slip is a happy monument to the man's intelligence, generosity and love.

What a lovely way to go - to leave your family with smiles on their faces and 20 grand they were not expecting. But I can't help wondering how many dying men told their family to stick their savings on some nag that fell at the first fence. We don't get to hear about them, do we?

And that's why you never see a broke bookie.