How did you first become interested in Racing?

SLIPPERGOLDEN · January 2012

With all this talk about attracting new punters to the track I thought it may be interesting to establish how horse racing first grabbed your attention.

Radman · January 2012

Through My Dad. I'm one of 4 boys but the other 3 don't have the slightest interest in racing and never did.

I remember vividly going to Ascot to see Kingston Town run when I was about 8. I remember holding my betting ticket and screaming my lungs out as he finished over the top of them. I think I got hooked on the feeling that day.

So maybe the key is champion racehorses coming to Perth and the crowds flocking to see them. Perhaps Black Caviar would have introduced thousands from the next generation and got them hooked to. I guess we'll never know.

rot8in · January 2012

primary school was opposite a racecourse
Grand dad and dad both loved heading to the track

Radman...i think great horses coming here is great,but the facilities have to be up to scratch otherwise you miss the opportunity to capitalise

thefalcon · January 2012

I first went in swaddling clothes.... :lol:

darkshines · January 2012

I was drawn in by the sensible musings of Damien Wyer. Irresistible.

fourleggedfriend · January 2012

I knew Malcolm J, he was a local from my area when growing up.

Working as a spray painter in a factory as a teen, a bookie rocked up Melbourne Cup Day to take bets. Didn't know ANYTHING about punting or horses but as Malcolm was on Medici I had a $5 each way bet @ 330/1.

Yep, he ran third and this kid won equivalent to 6 weeks pay.

Loved 'em ever since.

:lol:

DamienWyer · January 2012

said:
I knew Malcolm J, he was a local from my area when growing up.

Working as a spray painter in a factory as a teen, a bookie rocked up Melbourne Cup Day to take bets. Didn't know ANYTHING about punting or horses but as Malcolm was on Medici I had a $5 each way bet @ 330/1.

Yep, he ran third and this kid won equivalent to 6 weeks pay.

Loved 'em ever since.

:lol:

Local legend in the Manly area. Was number 1 ticket holder at the Sea Eagles for awhile as well. Think he drove a flash car but can't remember if it was a roller or not.

paraletic · January 2012

Seeing rogan josh win the Melb Cup. Was 17 and went to the tab to have $3 on it. Had no idea it was trained by Bart or was a WA horse. I have been doing my balls ever since :(

fourleggedfriend · January 2012

said:

said:
I knew Malcolm J, he was a local from my area when growing up.

Working as a spray painter in a factory as a teen, a bookie rocked up Melbourne Cup Day to take bets. Didn't know ANYTHING about punting or horses but as Malcolm was on Medici I had a $5 each way bet @ 330/1.

Yep, he ran third and this kid won equivalent to 6 weeks pay.

Loved 'em ever since.

:lol:
Local legend in the Manly area. Was number 1 ticket holder at the Sea Eagles for awhile as well. Think he drove a flash car but can't remember if it was a roller or not.

Yes, Manly was home for me for many years.

Been a Sandgroper for over 30 now, rural life and a quiet/slow pace for me. :D

Reckon I didn't make a good quid with MJ on The King in all those starts ... knew he wouldn't beat JaD in the MC but that quinella paid very well. :wink:

BroomeCup4Ever · January 2012

Was Gurner's Lane that beat The King in the Cup wasn't it?

NightEyes · January 2012

Haha, Great topic!
I always had an interest in horses, but best thing was while staying with my Dad for a time at age 11 - we wagged school for a day to go to Belmont and he gave me a couple of dollars to punt with -won a few dollars - had designs on being a Jockey but as my Dad pointed out I was allready as tall as all of them... :(
Followed up about 12 months later by being offered a job at racing stables when leading a horse through town (Harvey) shifting paddocks - Started there and been stuck Ever since.
Horses are either in your Blood or they arn't, just how it is. :-)

fourleggedfriend · January 2012

Correctumondo ... how the years fail one.

Nice pick up.

SLIPPERGOLDEN · January 2012

I watched a horse race on TV (black & white). I was 2 years old. From then on I preferred watching races on TV to watching kids shows. At 5 a birthday gift toy set featuring a multiitude of plastic Cowboys, Indians and importantly horses was used to conduct my own race meetings. Later my father though trying to avoid doing so finally took me to the races for the real thing and that was that!!!

I've been following the fancy dress Cowboys ever since :D

Carlosa · January 2012

Grew up with a dusty old suitcase in the hall cupboard full of one of Dad's greyhound's trophies, including no less than a Naitonal Sprint Championship...

Every Melb Cup, Dad and one of his mates, who to a young fella was just a legend, used to run a book for a work fuinction and I'd stay up late on Cup Eve with Dad cutting up the field sheets to stick in his board.

1984 Cup - 6 years old and Dad gave me some cash to give back to him and back Black knight - "Can not lose" he said...and it didn't. Only day of the year he let me bet.

Haven't looked back since.

goose · January 2012

My father was or is a horse fanatic his father was an SP bookie in his time just inherited it from them nearly drowned in the lake at Ascot as a bub.
These replies make an interesting point how do we get new blood into the game. Country race meetings are one way one of the best days out for a family or anyone to get a taste for it maybe greater promotion of these cup days such as Toodyay and York.

thefalcon · January 2012

my dad was the racecaller for 6pr in the 50's so horse people were always in and of the house. bert bryant used to stay with us when he was in town..boy, did those 2 get up to some tricks!!
"uncle eric" treffone was a great mate of his, treenie and tiger were good pals as were a lot of lesser lights. sp bookies like pat healy were always in the picture.
no wonder i'm a desperate... :roll:

squid69 · January 2012

Had an uncle who owned a little horse called Morwenna Girl in the late 70's. She was the size of a pit pony. Very quick from memory, 1,000m saw her out. When I visited them I used to read his Racetrack magazines. I then used to get the old mags from him. Plastered my walls with the colour pictures of horses such as Luskin Star, Hyperno etc. That era got me interested.

Chris · January 2012

Grandfather told me I couldn't pick the winner of the Melbourne Cup with a system, tried to prove him wrong, failed, hooked.

jonesee · January 2012

My dad was a bookie and his Dad was a bookie--- I had no chance :wink:

spanky · January 2012

in 1983 I was 4 yrs old and I got to lead a top filly my dad trained... I remember it like it was yesterday and loved it ever since.

My favourite times at the track would be like those an hour before the first at flemington when I lived in Vico when the grass was still dewy on a regular saturday meeting. Best game

Jordan · January 2012

First bet i ever had or first time i had ever seen the inside of a tab was because the missus was nagging me to go down and put a bet on the 95 MC i refused as i had no interest in horses she persisted and i gave in we went down asked the lady behind the counter how to fill the tickets out so we had $5 worth of mystery's and both did a trifect in order for $5 i picked Doreimus to win Nothin Leica Dane to run second and Vintage Crop to run third and snagged the tri and picked up $7,500 which was exactly the amount of card debts we had so we paid them all off and tore them up and ive been hooked ever since. Missus still regretting that decision i think probably would have preferred to still be paying the cards off now :D

dungy · January 2012

said:
First bet i ever had or first time i had ever seen the inside of a tab was because the missus was nagging me to go down and put a bet on the 95 MC i refused as i had no interest in horses she persisted and i gave in we went down asked the lady behind the counter how to fill the tickets out so we had $5 worth of mystery's and both did a trifect in order for $5 i picked Doreimus to win Nothin Leica Dane to run second and Vintage Crop to run third and snagged the tri and picked up $7,500 which was exactly the amount of card debts we had so we paid them all off and tore them up and ive been hooked ever since. Missus still regretting that decision i think probably would have preferred to still be paying the cards off now :D

:lol: :lol: :lol:

HenleyBrook · January 2012

Firstly, what a great forum topic.

At the age of 1 I was a hard baby to put to sleep however the old man found a cure and that was to put me on the back of a horse he had called Roy's Bonanza and I would fall asleep as he was giving it a pick on the grass.

As soon as I could walk i would go to the races with the old man when he had a starter only because I knew Danny Miller would give me an ice cream after the races or the old man would give me a bucket of chips. Since then I have had shares in 3 races horses, seen my brothers train multiple winners and enjoy the days out with my mates. I suppose my mates got hooked when they noticed that I went missing from the hours of 11AM to 6PM every Saturday and therefore they saw how fun it was and now a number of them are members of the WATC and own shares in race horses.

Being closely associated with Shaun O'Donnell and Timmy Stubberfield I always have enjoyed watching their success since both of them being apprentices and seeing their ups and downs over the years.

oscarwildy · January 2012

Hey Falcon, Was your Doug Chatfield your dad?

thefalcon · January 2012

yes he was, oscar..

oscarwildy · January 2012

He was a very nice fella Falcon and a good caller. Cheers.

RIO · January 2012

I was down to my last 25cents at the trots with my Mum when i was about 6 yrs old, so we agreed to go halves in a quinella. Two greys in the race, numbers 1 & 7 and they came in. We got $66 and my half was the start of my first bank account...Probably would have more in the bank if i had just stopped then!!!

Converted to the thourougbreds in my late teens as the trots were just too slow!!!! Have owned parts of a few good horses along the way and after many attempts with partners that didn't quite agree with my activities(thouroughbreds, not the other activites!!!) i have finally found a partner who loves the races as much as me.

Great industry to be involved in..yes there are a few sharks and ratbags around... yes i have bought some duds..and yes i have been dudded a few times...

All good fun and wouldn't change it for anything....

velcrocandy · January 2012

When I was a little kid I used to go to my Grandma's, Aunty & Uncles place in Kewdale every school holidays while my mum shopped in Vic Park. There the day always started with perusing the form guide in the morning, marking your selections & then ringing up to place your investments. Funny how 50c bets can get you excited at that age !!

Before that when I used to watch the cricket on TV the races would interrupt the telecast & I would blaspheme accordingly. Now it's the reverdse - cant stand watching cricket but love the races!!!

rot8in · January 2012

Its becoming clear....If you like to punt...Its your dads fault for many :lol: :lol: I actually enjoy the fact that myself and the old man can spend and enjoy our time together with a common interest :lol: :lol:

carey · January 2012

said:
Its becoming clear....If you like to punt...Its your dads fault for many :lol: :lol: I actually enjoy the fact that myself and the old man can spend and enjoy our time together with a common interest :lol: :lol:

my old man never had a bet in his life, but my mother......

i grew up in mentone, and every house had stables at the time...brian courtney, geoff murphy, bob hoysted, charlie waymouth, etc etc.,
but racing held no interest for me, even though all my friends were trainers kids.

the interest didn't come until i left the area......and a little horse called sobar did it.
an old man i worked with just happened to mention after it had only one start......."this is the best horse i have ever seen, better then bernborough even".
didn't know who bernborough was though.
i started driving the old bloke to the races, and when i had 40 bucks on sobar to win the caulfield cup when the old guy said it was the greatest certainty of all time, then that was it.

but racing is now just numbers for me unfortunately, and it has long ago lost its attraction,....since the company that unofficially runs racing(tabcorp) ruined it.

Brooksy · January 2012

Yeah blame the parents for sure :D they used to race and breed greyhounds for years when i was younger and i spent most my childhood trying to out run them.
My son will blame me too he's only 5 and knows many dogs by name..
I think horses were a natural progression
:D

G'day Punter!

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