saturdays racing i, page-16

Seen some odd things - whispers in the 70s especially, these were the times when no technology was freely available - of course you could even bet on a photo outcome - sometimes it took 10 minutes with a magnifying glass. Used to love seeing bookies, as racehorse owners, betting on their own horses via runners.

Rocket Racer was a good one (dropped dead before the weigh in after he won the Cup by 4 lengths after being injected by "Elephant Juice", along with the infamous Bunbury race where Connell paid the jock to jump off a horse and, it wasn't even his own! Troy Jackman (enough said), J Miller (ooh man) backing in the winner over the 3200m Perth Cup first up and winning easily, seen horses racing well over their grade with 3 duck eggs beside their name win after being backed in from 25/10/1 to 6/1. All cash back then in most cases - fistful of dollars. So many stories - could leave 100 anecdotes of racing. I've even bet on a Country race after I knew who won - a radio replay!

Enough said.

You slowly learn though.