Punters who “do” their money don’t like it when they lose, after all it's their pennies that are lining the bookies pockets but, they are not the ones living with these horses every day, they are not the ones getting up at the crack of dawn, day in and day out to feed, muck out, care for, ride, provide expert care. They don’t sit up with horses all night if something is wrong. They don’t work every hour God sends in the hope of leading up a winner, being in charge of looking after a winner or training a winner for the owners.
So, when one of these “punters” takes it upon themselves to call a trainer immediately after a race and before the horse has even pulled up, complaining bitterly that the trainer’s horse should have won, do they really expect to have a ‘lovely little chat’ with an already disappointed trainer? A mad as hell trainer even, not necessarily mad at the horse, or the jockey, as is the case here, but angry at the circumstances which prevailed to prevent the yard having a winner with an average horse?
This evening one such punter did just that, he (it’s always a ‘he’ by the way) failed to notice two important facts, due no doubt to the penniless mist that descended over his eyes clouding his judgement. One/ The horse jumped uncharacteristically very slowly and Two/ was brutally murdered on the turn taking a proper pounding costing the said horse (Mimics Memory) an all-important win.
I say ‘all important’ because horses like her have limited ability but try hard in each and every race, so opportunities to compete in a race that is without a doubt ‘very winnable’ really matters because these races are like hens teeth to find. Does the said caller really think the trainer and staff are not very disappointed too? After all we are the ones putting in the effort to produce these horses, not the punter, although of course his or her contribution is important in racing, that’s for certain, but does the punter really think its appropriate to make calls, can’t he just cry into his pint? Isn’t that what pints and pubs are for? Certainly he should not be surprised if his call is greeted with a few little colourful adjectives. In fact the said punters call acts wonderfully well in a ‘punch bag kind of way’.
I have said it many times, swearing really is therapeutic, it leaves the user with a lovely, relaxed feeling of achievement afterwards. I must practice it more often.