My taxi driver is a racing man. Horse racing I mean and I don't man he actually gets on a horse - he just 'loves horse flesh' as he says - yes - likes to waste a bit of his money on betting. My father would have been a racing man if my mother had let him. She was a beautiful and gentle woman, my mother, but by golly she held the upper hand and had that hand on the purse strings because there was never all that much of it about. Obviously he spent a bit of that on 'the horses' but never a big splash out. He also did''the pools' (are they still going strong?) but as far as I know the most he ever won was something like three and six pence. I don't know whether he handed over his wage packet and she gave him back his 'pocket money' - he never seemed 'short of a bob or two' - but they certainly had a sensible arrangement where money was concerned.
But for some years The Lincolnshire Handicap one of the Classic horse races was held in Lincoln and the whole city came more or less to a standstill as crowds poured in to see it.
But one year (1964 it left Lincoln when the Race Course there closed down and the race moved to Doncaster) when I was a small child - maybe five or six -my father took me to see it. I remember it well - catching the bus into Lincoln (we only lived three miles away but my Dad never learned to drive) and walking down to the Racecourse on the West Common. I couldn't think what all the full was about - I wasn't very big - a lot of shouting and cheering and the horses were past in a flash.
I was reminded of it yesterday when I got into the taxi - Gold Cup Day - the Queen** in her Carriage, all the Ladies in their huge hats, the top hats, the grand clothes and the best in the world of horseflesh - in some cases worth millions of pounds.
When I got into the taxi I said to M - my taxi driver - ' Good Morning on Gold Cup Day M'. A mournful voice greeted me from the driver's seat "Ouououou - I'ld luv t'go'. " My journey to the hairdresser's was not long enough to complete why he couldn't go so he finished it up on the return journey an hour later. Prices of absolutely everything exhorbitant, hotels too, booking three years in advance.
What is it that grips men (and some women too) with the whole business of breeding horses I wonder. My taxi driver's wife has horses because she lovess riding - she takes in the odd horse she feels sorry for and cares for them lovingly in old age. But some of the horses cost millions both the breeding, the maintenance, the tip top best of everything. Some of the top ones then earn millions in stud fees. Sad really that money rules everything isn't it? ** HM The Queen didn't go yesterday - Prince Charles took her place in the carriage procession down the course I believe.
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25 comments:
I love most animals, including horses (I draw the line at mozzies and spiders etc., although I know of course they have their part in the eco system), but I have never been interested in any animal sports, be it horses, dogs or any other racing or performing in any other way.
A friend of mine has a horse because she loves to ride; a lot of work is involved at the stables where she keeps her horse. The owners have fixed shifts in mucking out, feeding and general care of everything, but every owner is of course fully responsible for their own horse and makes sure they get enough exercise, regular vet check-ups and so on.
The amounts of money circulating in sports is just too much for me to fully grasp; not just horse racing, look at the transfer sums for football players for another one.
Step-daughter loves horse racing. The very first race she went to in Bath (which has the oldest dedicated race course in the country) she backed a horse which fell right in front of her, breaking its leg. They put screens around it, finished it off, then carried it away in a digger bucket! It didn't put her off.
I've always detested horse racing, especially over the jumps, it can be so cruel. Take today, men have been told they don't have to wear a tie because of the extreme heat but the poor horses still have to gallop round the course in that same heat.
I'm getting tired of the news continually bleating about the hardships people are now experiencing due to the price of things - really, can that be true! 270,000 people will have been at Ascot this week, wearing expensive fashions and spending huge sums of money. Thousands are queuing at airports to waste money laying on beaches abroad. My neighbour is a self-employed car valeter and is still working six days a week making people's cars look shiny at great expense.
My OH still “does the pools”. I used to. One rainy Friday night I came home tired from work and opened a pools cheque for £500!
The following week I won £19!
Didn’t reckon I’d strike lucky a third time so let it lapse.
I agree with everything that Derek says, horse racing, especially the jumps are extremely cruel. It's on a par with greyhound racing ... also the cruellest of sports. But humans have watched this sort of thing for entertainment for years haven't they, so I guess it will never end.
And as for the cash being splashed about, it must be dreadful for people to watch that are struggling to feed their families at the moment. The build up to my Ration Challenge has really brought out a lot of empathy in me for those less well off than us.
I live not too far from Newmarket where you need to be a Sheik with a few oil wells in order to own the top horses. The security arrangements around the stables are much stricter than those around the American air bases just down the road at Lakenheath.
My late uncle was a racing man but only ever had the money to bet small amounts (my aunt saw to that). You could tell how successful he was as a gambler - every Christmas his bookmaker would buy him a tin of biscuits!
I'm very glad you got your hair done, and started this discussion about horses and animals and racing and poverty. What great comments, and very interesting for me, since I already have minimal comforts but am grateful to have what I have. Here the Lottery is often used by folks much more poor than I am, which is so sad. I've been to one horse race in my life. Beautiful animals!
I had just started school at five years old. (1958). On the way home a very large horse chased me, galloping furiously. It was terrifying, being so small.When it caught up to me it snorted loudly and bit me hard, before cantering off. After that I always walked the long way home!
Although now, still terrified of horses, I have championed their cause ie. wastage in the racing industry, exposure of export for slaughter in Asia, and have physically protested against jumps racing. I am pleased these issues have been looked into, and jumps racing finally banned in this State as of this year. It's taken a long time!
My little granddaughter loves to watch Harlow and her horse Popcorn on YouTube - so very British!- Pam, Sth Aust.
I've never been interested in horse races although my husband looks forward to the Preakness and the Kentucky Derby each year. I often watch it with him on television when I'm around. My husband, (unlike me), doesn't daydream about living on a farm surrounded by animals. Even so, he's always loved horses and and when I show him properties for sale with acreage and a barn he gets dreamy-eyed at the idea of rescuing a couple of horses and letting them live out their lives in a comfortable environment. This will probably never happen but it's a lovely day dream.
It is 34 degrees here despite a strongish wind, and that coming from the south, is a hot wind. Just cycled along the sea front here and the high tide is seeing many people in swimming and I also enjoyed a deep paddle myself that was very refreshing. The beach was almost as packed as we would expect in August - lovely stuff.
I love horses standing happily in a field or riding gently on a woodland path. Racing and betting on horses carries no interest to me. As others have said, racing seems cruel. Yet, the appeal for many continues.
So far I have so enjoyed your comments - another of those occasions where I would love to have us all sitting in a room with our drinks and having a good long chat.. Mine's a hot chocolate please!
I enjoyed watching the Derby a couple of weeks ago and the skill of the winning jockey was superb. We used to bet when I was stockbroking; we often received good tips and one of our client's had the National winner one year. It was quite a memorable year because a loose riderless horse spurred him on to run and win and it was a wondrous sight, at that point the horse was not really bothering to race. Then he changed his mind and started trying to catch the riderless horse. The horse was Little Polveir and never forgotten by me.
Hot chocolate on a day as hot as this Pat - a nice glass of chilled Chablis seems a better option.
As a family we would have a 'flutter' on the Grand National, but I don't ever remember anyone winning. When we were first married, a friend took my husband and me to Ascot races. We didn't have money to waste so we calculated what we would spend on a day out, divided it by 8, which was the number of races on the card that day, and placed a tiny bet on each one. Lost the lot but we'd had a great day out, even if Lester Piggott let us down!
I‘m definitely with Derek there on the drinks front!
I've only been on horses twice in my life, and didn't enjoy it at all, but I quite like being around them as animals. The betting side of racing saddens me though, but I suspect the danger lies in having an addictive personality, a bit like alcohol. It can be fun, but only to a point. I once knew someone who would take the housekeeping money out of his wife's purse. They had three small children at the time. Not good.
I can just picture you going to the races as a child. Nice memory.
Well it can't be about love of their animals or they wouldn't race them in temps. of 34 degrees or make them jump fences that incur falls that break their legs.
No Derek - not love of animals - love of money.
Over 40 years ago, a friend of ours from Uni was crowned Miss South Australia and went on to win Miss Australia. She loved to tell her old friends stories including...
Part of her duties was to present trophies, etc.
At one country racing function she was asked to present the winner of the best 'fashion on the field'.
"Some people"( she said as an aside to the Mayor,)" spend little and look fabulous, others, for example, that woman over there, obviously have the money but look appalling"., she confided..."That's my wife" he replied.
She said she learned rapidly on the job!
Her secretary booked her in to the country hairdresser on one tour (no doubt it is part of the entourage these days). "Who is the appointment for?" asked the hairdresser on the end of the phone
."Miss Australia...Elenor" said the secretary..
"O.K. then that's 10 a.m. for Elenor Australia". She could have us in fits of laughter.
Oh, and a hot chocolate for me too.Pat! -Pam
I was born in Lingfield; home of Lingfield Park Racecourse. As most punters arrived by train and walked to the racecourse, we saw nothing of the huge events taking place. I did go once with my parents when I was about five; I've never been since. I remember seeing Gordon Richards, and Prince Honolulu selling his tips.
Well I am the same as a lot of the commenters, think that horse racing is cruel, especially making them jump at The Derby. But as a child enjoyed wandering along on a pony down forest tracks, which of course puts me in the Thelwell category ;)
Nice image of a Thelwell you Thelma.
Thanks everyone - what an enjoyable read this has been.
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