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delboy Mad Destination Expert
| Subject: At the Races Mon Apr 13, 2015 7:45 pm | |
| It was a seventieth birthday for me a while ago and Rodder's bought me a gift voucher as a treat to spend at a race course, however, it's been a bit cold over the winter period so I saved it until today. It was a nice treat, special free car park to drive into next to the entrance, Club entry and two free drinks and a free programme and a special tour included before the races, I will add how it all worked out later with some photo's I took |
| | | 4thforum
| Subject: Re: At the Races Mon Apr 13, 2015 8:03 pm | |
| Cool. You don't sound 70 Del, more like a sprightly 69 year old! |
| | | delboy Mad Destination Expert
| Subject: Re: At the Races Mon Apr 13, 2015 9:13 pm | |
| yes wish i was Dermot Anyway, i have not been to the races for years and decided to pick Windsor races for the gift. We left at 10.30am as we were not sure on the traffic situation but of course we arrived miles early But with a free sticker on the windscreen we were guided into to a special car park for the adored right next to the Grandstand . unfortunately the doors didn't open until 12.10am and it was about 11.15am and we had arrived before the horses and trainers lol Nice flowers but I can only stand and admire them for a couple of minutes so we decided to have a look at the Thames which runs alongside the course but not having my fishing rods with me it only passed a few minutes we both had heavy coats on as it was a chilly morning but we went back to the car to keep warm until it was time to go in, we were given a free race card programme each but I found it was next to useless, without showing any form , so I bought a Racing Post for £2.20 We had club badges for the day and Mrs Db said, I should wear a suit for the horses no jeans or trainers allowed in, (well the horse trainers were). Soon it was the time of the offical tour given to us privileged, we decide not to have our free drink until the end of the tour, so this is the weighing room This is where the jockey's get changed, the trainers declared their horses are at the coursee and jockey's weigh in before and after their races. The place has also the stewards and timers inside etc. That could be my jockey not changed and having his substance but I think he was part of our crowd, A flat jockey is allowed to be a pound under weight due to hot weather but a jumps jockey is allowed 2lbs overweight because of being covered in mud (which weighs heavy) Next we were taken on the course to test the going which today was good more to come
Last edited by delboy on Mon Apr 20, 2015 1:56 pm; edited 3 times in total |
| | | Daryn Admin
| Subject: Re: At the Races Mon Apr 13, 2015 9:26 pm | |
| Looking forward to all the photos on this one _________________ |
| | | delboy Mad Destination Expert
| Subject: Re: At the Races Mon Apr 13, 2015 9:50 pm | |
| We were shown the stables where the horses are saddled up and their correct weights are added, one trainer forgot to add the weights on last year and after winning the race the horse was immediately disqualified. This is the trainers responsiblity not the jockeys'. Then the parade ring where the horses are shown to the public The steward told us the first 4 horses are ridden into the winning enclose next to the weighing room and we were shown the entrance to the drugs room where the first four horses are usually drug tested. The remaining jockey's have to dismount in the parade ring and walk across to the weighing room. The steward went on to say, although the public are usually well behaved they have had a few punters that have lost a bundle on the favourite and try to take it out on the losing jockey, so not always a pleasant walk for them. we were then taken over to the special Club stand where we had to have our badges on display and over in the corner were all the bookmakers ready to be cleaned out funny the odds just didn't come out on my camera First of all the place seemed empty but I put our bets on Mrs Db was going to spend £3 and me £5 as it's my birthday treat The horses all went passed us and we were actually on the finish line and eventually they were off and here they come with just 1/2 a furlong to go, my jockey had a green vest and a red hat and here he was at the finish, unfortunately several others were in front of him and you could have seen those if I had the D7200 Mrs Db's didn't do any better, so we were £8 down |
| | | Mark Majorca Mad
| Subject: Re: At the Races Mon Apr 13, 2015 10:17 pm | |
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| | | Daryn Admin
| Subject: Re: At the Races Mon Apr 13, 2015 10:25 pm | |
| Well thats 4 in total upto now _________________ |
| | | delboy Mad Destination Expert
| Subject: Re: At the Races Mon Apr 13, 2015 10:40 pm | |
| It was deja vu on the second race where neither of the horses were in front but at least this time I manage to photograph the winning horse going over the line even if I didn't back it, so £16 down The steward did tell us that it's hard to get good odds on the course like it use to be, I could remember one book maker down the line offering 10/1 and others 7/1 for the same horse, today the bookmakers all seem to have the same odds and I watched for ages to get the right prices but they hardly moved but after backing them it was down to the area where the horses leave the parade ring where these horses are wound up and new to this game Having got us drinks using one of the two vouchers, Mrs Db had a glass of wine and I had a coke, well I'm not going to waste my free voucher on a coke, I'll save it for another wine for Mrs Db and pay £2 for a coke Then it was looking for something to eat, there was a queue a mile long for fish&chips at £8 a go and I would probably miss the next race waiting. However, I went to another place for 2 burgers at £6 each and had to wait even longer as the person doing it just put one burger on each time (instead of the 20 that she needed to fry) I saw the race but with my face full of burger I missed photoing it but alias we were now £24 with 5 more races to come. It was at this point Rodder's rang me to see how I was getting on Oh dear he replied more to come |
| | | Daryn Admin
| Subject: Re: At the Races Tue Apr 14, 2015 5:56 am | |
| Never really been one for going to the bookies etc but I have been to the Newcastle races a couple of times in the past. It is a good day out I loved it, listening to the horses thunder across the ground it all adds to the excitement. Enjoy your story Del _________________ |
| | | delboy Mad Destination Expert
| Subject: Re: At the Races Tue Apr 14, 2015 8:30 am | |
| Right so far this has been from my memory but overnight something didn't seem quite right, so with the aid of the programme I am going to rewind back to the beginning of race 3. Mrs Db had fancied Cornelious and eyeing up all the bookmakers, everyone had the price of 3/1 except one who had 100/30 which is slightly better odds so I put her £3 on it, it was at this time Rodder's called to ask how I was getting one and I said we were £16 down and he replied oh dear. My £5 went on I Zingari so at this point we were £24 down, so eating the burgers I missed photographing the race but Mrs Db's horse won at the starting price of 5/2 but I had managed to get 100/3 so we had £13.50 winnings to deduct of the £24 spent, so we were now losing £11.50. See what happens Dermot when you reach 70, you lose your photographic memory and just left with a camera, last year at 69 I would have got it right So now armed with the programme and a few pics, I will continue the story |
| | | delboy Mad Destination Expert
| Subject: Re: At the Races Tue Apr 14, 2015 9:09 am | |
| so now we were ready for race 4 my recollection of race meetings in the past was that you could only see the last furlong with the naked eye, so apart from my camera I had packed a pair of binoculars, so decided to leave my glasses in the car hoping I could still read the racing post form without them, another reason for not being 70 lol. Anyway, the race course now have big screens up showing the whole of the race in front of you. So the binoculars were redundant unless Mrs Db was prepared to hold up the racing post 20 yards away. So I had to borrow Mrs Db's glasses and decided on Isamol as the best horse, unfortunately all the bookmakers agreed and were only offering odds of 11/8, apart from one who was offering 6/4, slightly better price, so my £5 went on that one, whilst Mrs Db's Plane Son was odds of 7/1 at best so her £3 went on that one so with the horse going down to the start The crowd had grown in size The race was underway and coming to the last furlong mine went into the lead and I managed to get half of it over the finishing line and I had £12.50 winnings to come so now we had spent £32 and had £26 of winning which made us £6 losing over all, it wasn't going to be a too expensive day as we were only going to invest another £32 on the last 4 races |
| | | NannyJen Girl Power Member
| Subject: Re: At the Races Tue Apr 14, 2015 9:31 am | |
| I'm enjoying your day out, DB - rep from me too. It's "three score & ten" for me, too, in August - 1945 must have been a vintage year!! |
| | | delboy Mad Destination Expert
| Subject: Re: At the Races Tue Apr 14, 2015 9:52 am | |
| so race five I had a fancy for Living Leader which was in the Wolves Colours but had a lady jockey and Mrs Db did Flipping both at good odds and if either wins we would be in profit for the first time today so they were going to post This was Squire And the favourite Captain George The day was now turning out sunny and I was sweating up more than the horses running up and down doing this and that and I had to take my winter coat off before the horses whist Mrs Db in the shade of the stands watching me was still chilly anyway as they came into the last half furlong Squire had got the lead Mrs Db's jockey complained he was boxed in and my lady jockey didn't want the lead, perhaps I should have a word with her when she walks across to the weighing room So we were now £14 down |
| | | delboy Mad Destination Expert
| Subject: Re: At the Races Tue Apr 14, 2015 10:20 am | |
| So race 6 After studying the form, I fancied Asima or Lear's Rock and Mrs Db stuck her usual safety pin in and went for Regards, I finally decided on Asima both horses were quoted as 5/1 in the Racing post but managed to get 8/1 for both Then it was to the bar to use the last voucher for another wine for Mrs Db and a coke however, they had run out of coke so just got the wine for Mrs Db which cost me 80p extra and they were going down where the hell does this half hour go between races with the coat off I was one of the few wearing a suit I hope the horse's noticed Funny this horse is called 'With Approval' so I guess it did notice and this Volunteer Point but nobody got me another coke as the race unfolded at the finish Lear's Rock won easily I had pick the wrong one and we were now £22 down |
| | | delboy Mad Destination Expert
| Subject: Re: At the Races Tue Apr 14, 2015 10:57 am | |
| so to race 7 Mrs Db's with the first use of her glasses had picked Collaboration and I didn't really have a fancy for much but picked Compton Bird to give us a second chance, well it did have the Wolves colours on, so I could remember it easier The Racing Post gave Collaboration a 5/1 chance but arriving at the bookie stands the best I could get was 5/2 with a lot of bookmakers only offering only 9/4, I had a gut feeling and decided to put the £5 on Collaboration and £3 on Compton Bird at 20/1 hmm........ could I be making a mistake here Here coming out of the ring, this is Water Dancer, the steward in his talk did tell us part of the course was under water in the winter and the groundsmen had done a great job in getting it to the standard of today. The race course is built on an island with the Thames one side and a tributary the other. Surely this horse should be well at home with this name This one is called Tatting, a hobby I may take up if I don't get another winner soon as the horses are released on to the course, the stable hands rush to the nearest screen to see how their horse goes, someone must be feeling confident but which one as the race unfolded Collaoration grabbed the race and we had winnings of £17.50 ( remember I switched the £5 to it) so overall, just £12.50 down with only one race and a possible £20.50 loss more to come |
| | | delboy Mad Destination Expert
| Subject: Re: At the Races Tue Apr 14, 2015 11:38 am | |
| so race 8 the final race of the day, Mrs Db with her glasses had picked Diakoros again I found myself agreeing with her pin selection and I went for Last Minute Lisa that Hughes was supposed to have ridden but hadn't turned up (Hughes is one of the top jockey's at Windsor). The sporting life had predicted 13/2 for Diakoros but the bookies all said 6/1 and after waiting some moved it to 5/1, so the £5 was moved to Diakoros at 6/1 and the £3 to Last Minute Lisa at 16/1. I liked the QPR colours said Mrs Db as it went passed this is Zambeasy doing a walk in front of us, this would be the longest race of the afternoon and he was obviously aving his energy for the race after his little parade in front of us, he and Gavlar decided to go the short way round to the stalls on the far side I told Mrs Db that I would be down to the Bookies quickly if we win as i hadn't heard of them before and I didnt want the satchel to close before I got there. You're optimistic, said Mrs Db, that we are going to win again as the gates opened Last Minute Lisa had told me why she got that name, as she was last out but never mind, it was a long race and perhaps she was going to leave it to the last minute to win However, she was going to be too late as Diaktoros struck the front and went on to win and we had £35 to collect and we ended up £14.50 up on the day |
| | | delboy Mad Destination Expert
| Subject: Re: At the Races Tue Apr 14, 2015 11:52 am | |
| I kid you not one young guy on the lawns area was dancing around a table full of his mates clutching a handful of £50 notes, he was so funny and wanted to tell the world of his win I wished I had taken a photo Summing up we had a great day out for nought and we were home in an hour After the Easter break, a lady at the Windsor races called Angela had kindly made it possible, getting tickets to us on Saturday morning after arranging a second tour for us as the first one was full Rodder's was pleased too |
| | | delboy Mad Destination Expert
| Subject: Re: At the Races Tue Apr 14, 2015 4:31 pm | |
| Thanks for all the reps given |
| | | Mark Majorca Mad
| Subject: Re: At the Races Wed Apr 15, 2015 2:19 am | |
| Brilliant Del, a great read, double reps from me again |
| | | Mick ALL ROUND GOOD GUY
| Subject: Re: At the Races Sat Apr 18, 2015 12:02 pm | |
| Sounds like a great day out for you both mate, rep from me as well. _________________ Mick
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| | | Daryn Admin
| Subject: Re: At the Races Sat Apr 18, 2015 2:22 pm | |
| Great read, nailed them photos, you got some real great shots. Repped and thanks for sharing the day with us _________________ |
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