 Brendan (Robbie Coltrane) is a janitor at a university who has a fondness for gambling, especially betting on horse races. However, he doesn t have much skill at it, and poorly considered bets have drained the bank account he d set aside for his daughter s education. Brendan s wife (Brenda Blethyn) has made Brendan promise to give up gambling, but when their daughter announces she s just been accepted to Trinity College in Ireland, Brendan has to come up with the tuition money, and fast. While doing his sweeping at work, Brendan makes a remarkable discovery - the preserved head of an aboriginal tribesman who, under proper conditions, can pick the winners in horse races.