Summer fun at Flemington

Most of life is disappointment but one of the best places for coming to terms with it is Flemington Racecourse.

Here, on the well-kept lawns you can lose $100 and laugh about it.

At the Summer Fun Race Day on January 15 the sun was shining.

COVID was even working towards the return to normality of the city’s foremost racetrack.

Friends Josh, Sam and Matt, from the western suburbs, bought identical shirts for a holiday at the Gold Coast.

Sam got COVID and they had to cancel their travel plans so they wore their horsey shirts to the races instead.

“It’s nice and relaxing,” Sam said.

Everyone agreed that although the crowds were small the atmosphere was picking up.

One memorable winner was seven-year-old Blazejowski in the fifth race and syndicate members were there at the finishing line to celebrate and pose for the camera.

Yoeseph Singh said he would be sharing a percentage of the $71,000 prize money.

“I always try and make a profit,” he said, but that can be easier said than done.

Yoeseph bet $200 on the race but after the prize was divvied up, seven per cent between 10 wouldn’t amount to much.

This was Blazejowski’s 10th win. He was stuck on nine for quite a while. “He might be retired soon,” Yoeseph said.

Even if you pick the right horse in a race, it’s difficult to get the bet right. You might make a place bet on a horse that wins or do a win and place on a horse that comes third.

“I still haven’t managed it,” said a bookie at Awesome Bet Second Part.

There’s nothing as tragic as a payout of $100 on a betting slip that is never going to be collected.

There’s no chance for any more repartee with the bookie just dumb acceptance of a loss.

There are other rituals that are less costly such as the habit jockeys have of throwing their goggles into the crowd.

Yoeseph Singh was a lucky recipient. Others were more demanding, forcing jockeys to answer back.

Yoeseph felt like a king for the day, owner of a winning horse and wearing goggles from the Summer Fun Race Day •