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Published: August 6th 2007
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Geezapeetsa
This was our first winner of the evening. he wasn't really called 'Geezapeetsa' he was called something else but we can't remember what and this name seemed fitting as greyhounds always look so hungry. Oi get up when oi want, except on Wednesdays when oi get rooodly awaykened boi the dustmen...........
PARKLIFE!
God, I'm so completely tempted to punctuate this blog with 'PARKLIFE' after every sentence but I think even I might get bored after the third time, so maybe I'd better just quit now while I'm ahead.
So what's this update all about then? Well, this Friday night we went to the greyhound racing at Shawfield Stadium in Glasgow. Its something that's been on our list of 'stuff we want to do' for about three years and now we are pleased to say that its been crossed off, the bugs gone, and we'll probably never come back and do it again. Don't know why we fancied doing this - its not that we are into gambling or anything - but nevertheless it was on THE LIST so it had to be done.
It was a bit rubbish.................
We were sort of expecting it to be like a poor man's horse racing, however the whole set up is really quite down at heel, erring on the side of 'Eastern European bread queues' at times, and all that was missing was
a few old wizened wifies in headscarves n thick brown tights knocking about wailing with their hands in the air in woe. Now, the thing about this is that we think it's actually a bit of a shame its so grim, and that the greyhound fraternity might have missed a trick by not capitalising on the glamourisation of their game via the record smashing popularity of that Blur album cover from the early nineties. PARKLIFE. (sorry - I really couldn't stop myself there, and actually it fits with the prose so its all good really - please don't hit me). We also didn't pick the best night to go, because the day after the night we went was some sort of big Fancy Pants Greyhound Derby Extravaganza, so the attendance at our gig was lower than normal in anticipation of the following day's event, thus enhancing the dismal atmosphere of the place.
And we got into trouble.............
A Scary Man came and told us off for taking a photo of the dogs as they ran round the track with the flash on. Apparently it distracts them. We think a meat pie might distract them more. It was a
Setting up the traps.
The whole excercise of the setting up of the traps is executed with precision. The 'setter uppers' even have tape measures to assist them in their task. total accident though as we've got a new little digi camera that fits in my bag for snapping purposes and we're still getting used to it, and what happened was that the start of the race took that long to kick off, that the camera switched itself off, and when we flicked it back on the flash came on automatically. Och!!! There was no point explaining this to Scary Man though as he didn't look like he'd care, and he wasn't the type of dude you'd want to be messing with. Actually, come to think of it, the scariest thing about Scary Man was his big bong eyes. One was going up to the counter with a bet and the other one was coming back with the winnings.
But we won!!!!............
Loads!!!!!..................
Although we were only putting on 1 pound bets ( I don't have a pound sign on this keyboard by the way, just dollars $ - and thats why I always type 'pounds' or 'quids' when talking about monetary values - a small factoid, but interesting nevertheless) it was still fabbo that we won 5 out of the 8 races we bet on. That's a
Going in the traps.
This is the owners or trainers or whatever putting the dogs into the traps before the race. good return, although the odds were pretty shyte and we were only getting back about 4 quid for every pound bet we won. It paid for the kebabs on the way home though.
Hope you enjoy the photos. We feel they capture the essence of the event, and by viewing these you may find yourself in the position of never having to go out looking for a Tardis to transport you back in time to the Union led poverty of the Seventies, or worse, actually having to go to the dogs yourself. Hey, that must be where that phrase comes from - 'Gone to the dogs' when you're down at heel. I just clocked on!!! Oooooh, I love it when that happens.
Bye for now
Shaz n Al. xxx
PS: Wee Beth is in her bed otherwise she would say 'bye' too. What a good girl she's been this week, and the other day she was being so smiley that she even ventured some big toothless grins while taking her feed and her milk went eveywhere. BLESS! Also we had to buy her a parasol for her pram as it was ultra sunny this week and the
Alan studies the form......
.but it was quite hard to work out the best dogs from the given stats. Actually it's probaby quite easy but we're just not used to it so we went on names instead, and we're glad we did as we won so many times! Alan studies the form......
.but it was quite hard to work out the best dogs from the given stats. Actually it's probaby quite easy but we're just not used to it so we went on names instead, and we're glad we did as we won so m... temperature here in Glasgow was, wait for it, 19 DEGREES!!!!!! OK, I really am away this time..................
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Occasionally Bob
Bob & Vik
Mmm kebabs...
yum yum yum. Me pal Sylv went to the Walthamstow dog races once (home to East 17 no less)... she was also a bit disappointed with the whole affair. Have you ever tried doing accumulator bets on the footie? Rob got addicted after putting on 1 poonderly that he found down the back of the couch. There were spreadsheets and everything - sad!