True tales from the betting ring.

Simon Nott

Simon Nott

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Aug 7, 2009
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908
Location
Tiverton, Devon.
I am just seeing if there would be any interest in a collection of short articles similar to this.

I have saved an old hard-drive which has about a decade of articles I have written about antics in the betting rings of (mainly) The Westcountry. I have posted one of them as a taster. As we are starved of racing at the moment join me if you will at a mid-week Newton Abbot meeting back in 2002, Colonel Gazimes....

http://simonnottracing.wordpress.com/2010/12/21/the-strange-tale-of-colonel-gazimes/

(Free) proof reading welcomed Krizon!
 
Nice wee stories, Simon - if you can find time to pepper the forum with them, then it's 'may we have some more, please, sir?'
 
Don't worry, like little Sheba, it will come back... come to think of it, did little Sheba ever come back?

Liked your take on some of Racing for Change's ideas (or rather, lack of) for encouraging the very young to enjoy racing. As you have noted, giving them all sorts of entertainments are actually distractions away from racing, not activities that in any way have relevance to the day's sport. I think children now are treated as if they are not part of adult life, and have to be entertained separately. I went racing with my parents on the few occasions they did, and certainly to the cinema, theatre, etc. (where allowed in due to age). Neither they nor I expected me to be hustled off to somewhere entirely different to what my parents were there to see, as a matter of 'entertaining' me. If racing isn't interesting to young kids, then RfC should be soliciting ideas as to how to make it so, and stop trying to turn particularly NH meetings into funfairs and nurseries. I don't say don't provide some respite for parents with a creche where they can bung the little critters when they get whiney, but most kids who've attended racing these days will think it's nothing to do with horses, but sideshows and pier-like attractions. "Oh, good! Dad's going racing - that means a ride on the whirly teacups and a burger!"
 
I totally agree - how on earth can we get children to enjoy racing when all they see are amusements. My eight year old grandson loves racing, member of the colts and fillies at ascot, designed his own colours on darley kids and is fascinated about pedigrees. How has all this happened? Like any other interest, we talk about racing as much as we talk about football, share websites and books together. His siblings cant wait until they can come too! Take note RFC
 
I totally agree, the article I wrote was primarily focused on the betting ring because that's what I know about. Surely there are enough wonderful aspects of a day at the races to enthral a novice race-goer that it's almost a crime to distract from them to bouncy castles.
 
I wrote these for the local paper 'The Mid-Devon Gazette', I am looking through a load of them going back to around 2001. I am hoping that if there is enough positive feedback to get them published as maybe the format of short racing stories. At the time I was reluctant just to write about who won what but make the reports entertaining bringing the colour of the betting ring to life. I used to get comments from people who had no interest in racing but enjoyed the tales so my plan appeared to work. Sadly the paper was taken over by an big newspaper group and my services were no longer required. Many thanks for your comments. I do write a monthly column of a similar ilk in 'Racing Ahead'.
 
Have a look at Donal McCarthys "Ring Tones" from the Irish Field - great read every week. Think your articles - while very well written - are missing a little something - sex, drugs and rock n' roll maybe?
 
On The Bridle said:
Have a look at Donal McCarthys "Ring Tones" from the Irish Field - great read every week. Think your articles - while very well written - are missing a little something - sex, drugs and rock n' roll maybe?
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It's a very witty article. I'd say it's even fuunier if you're a regular race goer and get the inside jokes!
 
Thanks for the head's up, is it possible to read on-line? True my tales are a little 'twee' but they were written for the local paper. Maybe I should start writing some 'racier' pieces for the blog!
 
Or you could put several together within a novel, Simon, add in a conspiracy and a couple of deaths in 'suspicious circumstances', and climb aboard the old Dick Francis/John Francome wagon! We've had the jockey as hero with them - why not a hero exchange worker? He spots some very dodgy patterns, his boss strangely doesn't want to investiage them, he goes off in his own time to track down the people behind them...

Perhaps asking one of the boys to investigate in their own time would be the most incredulous part of the book, but otherwise!

(I have sent you a PM, btw. Only 19% commission as your agent... )
 
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Simon Nott said:
Thanks for the head's up, is it possible to read on-line? True my tales are a little 'twee' but they were written for the local paper. Maybe I should start writing some 'racier' pieces for the blog!
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No but I will try and get you a few of them together and send them to you, if you're interested.


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I'm sure you could rummage around in the ol' memory bank and possibly find one or two racy stories at least!
 
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