chasing rabbits.

so, friday night. i went with rachel and her dad's family to poole stadium to witness my first greyhound race. having already experienced the famous epsom derby earlier in the year and (that's to do with horses) i was curious to see some greyhounds running around a track, chasing a rabbit.

it was a proper evening. we had prime seats overlooking the track and a three course meal with a pint of carlsberg. there were screens everywhere announcing each race. there were 13 races in total. i decided i would try for 6 races, laying 1 pound bets. you could chose to lay a bet to win or lay a bet to place, first or second. so, if you bet and win first, you collect more winnings then a place bet of second. follow me? good. now, knowing absolutely nothing about greyhound racing i decided to choose my bet based on the randomnest greyhounds' names.

first up, minky moo. but, i was too late and missed the chance to lay a bet. minky moo ended up placing first. figures.

the first race was just a warm up and my next bet was, dish when hot. rachel’s dad told me this was dish when hot’s first time racing tonight and there was a buzz about him. he said this dog had a fair chance and i was making a good choice. i told him, i just like the name.  dish when hot placed second, but i bet to win, so i ended up with nothing.

i think i sat the next race out, not random enough for me to bet on but, i laughed out loud when i saw this next name, firpits maggy. i kept thinking how funny it would be if they changed it to armpits shaggy. i had to bet on this one.  i lost. it was probably for the best.

then the coolest thing happened. rachel’s dad and his wife own a few greyhounds and they were asked by the greyhound-race-people to present a prize to the winner of race 5. i can’t remember the name of the dog, but here we all are, getting our picture taken with the winning greyhound. at this point in the game, i’m thinking this is hilarious, i’m canadian, never been to a greyhound race before and i somehow managed to make it into this picture with people i barely know.  see if you can spot me…i’m literally thinking, as if. 

surreal. back to the racing. so far i hadn’t really made any money yet. my strategy of choosing winners was working, but i wasn’t making smart betting choices (example: bet to win, or bet to place). i had to step it up here.

next race was rachel’s dad and his wife’s dog, cappagh deco. we all bet on him. i bet to win…rachel tells me, you gotta have faith. he won! therefore i won, 3 pound 80p.

now i see how this can become addictive. it was such a high when deco won, we were all so happy and it was rachel’s dad and his wife’s birthday we were celebrating that night too, so it was just a really happy and exciting moment. so, what did hayley do? she bet again…and won. thanks, arry bee. who the heck names a dog, arry bee? did they get lazy and forget to write the h before arry or was it just a typo? no matter, me won!

by this time, we had finished dinner and dessert and i was getting restless, i wanted to see the track at eye level. so I bet to win on welsh mike and rachel and i walked down to the track. this is where they put the dogs just before the race starts.

but before that, they bring the dogs out for a chance to wee and do other sorts of business on the green.  i think the correct phrase for it is to empty out before the race. that’s what rachel’s dad said.

here’s the rabbit (and i use that term loosely) they apparently go nuts over. 

here's rachel and i.

and...they're off!

funny story. after this race a security guard comes sauntering over to rachel and i. we’re at the fence, aways down the track. i wanted a good angle to get some decent photos.  i’ve already noted the no flash photography sign and said to rachel, not a problem as i rarely shoot with a flash. anywho, back to mr. security man, who’s all dressed in black, complete with a black tie and an arm band high up on his bulging bicep announcing to the world,  i am security…approaches us. i can see him coming…and i’m thinking buddy, you have no idea what you’re about to experience.  i say to Rachel, this should be fun.  he says hello and tells me, flash photography is not allowed.  i reply sweetly, i know, i’m aware of the sign…have you seen a flash? burn. he turns to walk away, uh, no. conclusion (a) i am such a smart ass (b) people are afraid of my camera…and (c) if you over exercise your authority in my presence, i’ll throw it back in your face.

oh yeah. welsh mike? he won.