Horse Racing

I have never been into horse racing.  It was just never a part of my scene.  Unless calling an imaginary race and having Chewing Gum sticking to the rails counts.
I have however known a number of people that were into it.  I have a brother in another town who was part owner of a horse.  There was great excitement a few years ago for his first race.  That horse is probably still racing that race.  If he were the only horse racing, he would probably be a star.  I have a relative that looked after race horses for a while.
A guy at work treated it as a real science.  He had “invested” $100 and after several years he was at $78.  The house always wins.  I am yet to hear of a genuine business that has been set up to go into receivership.  A movie I saw had people sending their money to the house, to save time.
Someone put on Facebook about a person who was said to be obsessed with horse racing.  He said he was not and then described how his wife and kids were going shopping and that they were “at the gate, and they are off.”
I visited a race course once.  I was playing golf and put my ball onto the track.  It was the only time I played my ball out of a horse’s divot.  Another time I paid my money at the show to be a horse.  I got a mention in the race call during the race, as I came good with the controls.  I was not mentioned at the end though.  Like in most things, I was a “make up the numbers” person.
There are those that study the “form guide” intently.  Based on what information they have, they back a particular horse.  Others get their tip from their mates’ friends uncles sons brother who says put your money on “this” horse.  Sometimes they are right.  Sometimes they are not.
A lot of people dabble in horse racing once a year for the Melbourne Cup, or the race that stops the nation.  I saw a reporter who did a story on it.  He was on the street and said it was so quiet for the race that stops the nation, a cannon could be fired down the street and not hit anyone.  He was out on the wrong day.  There were cars everywhere.
Where I worked had a “do” every year.  There were always sweep stakes and food.  We would all watch the race and then life would return to normal.  For two years we ran our own “do.” 
I got two pictures of some that were there.  The same people were smiling in one and morose in the other.  I called the pictures “A happy section of the crowd,” and “A cross section of the crowd.”
The first year we actually won an award for it.  All monies raised went to support disadvantaged students.  It was just as well we won it when we did, because from then on, what was presented was way good and we did not stand a chance.  Subway sponsored us which was good of them.
As I say I have never been into it, but if anyone asks, number five in the fifth is a sure thing.