We are in Australia, where horse racing is a popular
sport. In the past, Lyle and I haven’t
had any experience with horse racing, but yesterday that changed a little when
we went with my sister, Jill, to the local track. With my limited sight, I wasn’t sure what I
would gain from the experience but it turned out to be a relaxing and enjoyable
afternoon.
There were ten races
during the afternoon. When we first
arrived we stood near the fence just to get the hang of things. Before each race, the horses were paraded
around a ring in front of the Members Stand. This was a good spot for me. I could hear the clatter of hooves and the
snorting of the horses as they passed in front of our position by the fence. At one point, one of the horses came quite
close to where we were standing. I was
pleased with this because I had chosen that horse’s name from the betting card
as a potential winner. The name was Visual
Image. Because I thought the name
was a good omen, I placed a small bet.
However, my prediction of a possible win was wrong, and the horse came
in dead last!
Initially we had no idea of how the betting system worked
but a lovely young woman behind the cashier’s desk patiently explained the ins
and outs to us. Lyle had better luck choosing winners than Jill or me. I know that I chose my horses from the names
listed on the cards, but Lyle went to the parade ring each time to inspect the
horses and the jockeys. It worked
somewhat as he managed to pick the winning horse in three races.
It was a quiet day at the races but just right for me. I liked listening to the more knowledgeable
punters. I loved the sound of the trumpet at the beginning of each race,
although I was disappointed that the starting gates were situated on the other
side of the track from where we were standing. I loved the sound of pounding
hooves as the horses raced to the finish line. I was a little disappointed that
we didn’t get to go near the barns and stables, but even from where we stood by
the fence there was that musty pungent odour that is usually associated with
livestock.
All in all, being at the races was a new and enjoyable
experience. I might not be able to see
everything that a fully sighted person can see, but I had fun.
There are three pictures with this post. The first shows a race horse in the parade
ring. The second is of me beside the
fence. The third is my favorite. For me the horses racing past were much of a
blur, but this picture captures them in moment.
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| Horse in the parade ring |
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| Sue in front of some race horses |
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| Horses racing past |
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