Furnace for Argyll

Remember a few weeks ago when a sophisticated and hot group of Furnacites hit Ayr Races for the day. Envy struck widely. Everyone who wasn’t there wondered how it all went and wished…

Now Colin Moncur has told all. Thank goodness for that! Read on.

A day at the Races

(…Or an idiot’s guide to losing money by rank amateurs who don’t know one end of a horse from the other!)

We set off with a mixture of excitement and anticipation of riches beyond our wildest dreams. Does the expression ‘fools and their money’ spring to mind?!

On arrival at Ayr Racecourse as we trekked from the bus to the stand right across from the actual course, one budding female gambler asked,
“What’s this then?”
“Oh, this is where the horses actually race”, she was told.
“It’s a bit grassy”, she replied.
Her hubby was heard uttering, “Give me strength…”

So, to the business in hand – losing money. At a table right next to the bar sat our own personal benefactor ‘Happy Harry from Huddersfield’. Spotting us and with a glint in his eye, he lit up his electronic game board and rubbed his hands in anticipation. “Game on!!” We thought. Whilst the men manfully tried to show off their extensive knowledge of horseflesh, the women’s approach was more along the lines of “Oh, that’s a nice name,” and “Oh, what pretty colours!” What do we mere mortals know, eh!

Anyway, winners were short for most of us (except for a certain couple who shall remain nameless – you know who you are and a pint will keep my silence). Apart from all that, we all had a good day out. We stopped off for a refreshment stop on the way home and ended up back in Furnace tired, skint (well, most of us anyway) and a bit more wary of the ‘Happy Harrys’ of this world!