Chasing Steeples
@owlwings (43897)
Cambridge, England
April 9, 2016 6:23am CST
Today is the day for one of the most popular horse races in England - the Grand National at Aintree. It is the one race which attracts bets from all manner of people, very few of whom know very much about horses at all and the only time they will ever 'have a flutter' is on this one day in the year!
The National is one of the longest and most gruelling races in existence at around four and a half miles and over some very testing fences. Why is it called a 'steeplechase'? Because in the early days of racing, this kind of race took place in the verdant English countryside and the only directions were often to 'aim for the steeple' of the nearby village church!
I have placed my bets (for better or worse) on four horses which look about as good as any. If any of them come first or even place, I think that I shan't have lost my money! I have to say that, this year, I have looked at the recommendations of the various tipsters and based my choice on those. In other years, I have mostly been guided by the sound of the horse's name and last year I did choose the winner merely because I liked the name "Many Clouds". That horse is the favourite this year but in this race especially, favourites are notoriously bad at actually coming in first.
Even if you don't gamble as a rule, do you ever bet a small amount just occasionally and how do you pick your 'winners'?
8 people like this
8 responses
@RasmaSandra (97957)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
9 Apr 16
@owlwings I used to love going to horse races when I lived in NYC. I miss that so much. Here in Latvia there are no race tracks. I would bet a small amount and pick my horses by feel and by name.
2 people like this
@owlwings (43897)
• Cambridge, England
10 Apr 16
I have never been to the races (not even Newmarket) but I do enjoy watching them (or rather, the people at them) on TV. The actual races themselves have less interest for me, on the whole. I imagine that, if you actually go to the races, you see rather little of the racing, especially when it's a four mile race. If you're lucky enough to be in the Grandstand, you would see the finish but not a lot else!
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
10 Apr 16
@owlwings Viewing is pretty good if you have binoculars, which most regular racegoers do. Even in a four mile race the horses are never the 4 miles away from you as the courses are circular.
Nowadays a lot of the courses have a big screen opposite the stands on which you can see all the action too.
@AbbyGreenhill (45490)
• United States
9 Apr 16
I went to the horse races many years ago and how or what I met is a blurr. I don't usually bet on anything, I am too protective of my money...Good luck!!!!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381931)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Apr 16
Hopefully they will replay the race on our news tomorrow. It is a national institution for Britain isn't it? I remember the heart-breaking breakdown of the Australian horse Crisp; also champions like Red Rum and the Queen Mother's horse which came so close to winning. Hope your horse comes in.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109841)
• Los Angeles, California
9 Apr 16
I think this is the most famous race in the UK. Isn't this the one where everyone dresses in fancy attire? At least the swells do.
1 person likes this
@owlwings (43897)
• Cambridge, England
10 Apr 16
Many people dress up for the races. Some are flamboyant but most are just impeccably dressed. The day before the National is known as 'Ladies Day' and there's a competition for the Best Dressed Lady. I believe that the winner won a Range Rover and £1000 spending money!
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
9 Apr 16
I do now and then, for the fun of it, and often because I like their names, and never win, lol. Prob a bad way of picking.
@owlwings (43897)
• Cambridge, England
10 Apr 16
@josie_ I don't think that can be said of horse racing, at least. Although it is certainly a dangerous sport, what attracts people to it and makes people participate in it is the test of skill, speed and the love of horses, first, and then, of course, the possibility of making some money out of it (either in prize money or by betting). The very last thing which people want to see is a horse injured or dying because of it!
1 person likes this
