"This is my first colourful racing identity funeral," quipped Reverend Andrew Schmidt, who then noted that the packed funeral at St Jude's Anglican Church at Randwick had already had its colourful moments.

A who's who of the more racy section of the racing world gathered to farewell one of the most colourful of them all, Jack Sparrow, who died last month at the age of 94.

Mick Gatto (centre) was one of pallbearers at Jack Sparrow's funeral. Credit:Nick Moir

Sparrow was a legendary punter and tipper who was banned from racecourses around the country for a couple of years in the 1960s.

Among the mourners for the man nicknamed "The Bird" were Robbie Waterhouse (the former bookmaker who was banned for a period for prior knowledge of the Fine Cotton ring-in affair), underworld figure Graham "Abo" Henry, convincted drug dealer Bruce "Snapper" Cornwell, gambling figures Bruce Hardin and Bruce Galea and a sprinkling of South Sydney footballing legends George Piggins, Mario Fenech and Craig "Tugger" Coleman.