Tonight was the last Tuesday there would be dog races here as next week the stadium is being torn down and there will be no more races. It's sad because Walthamstow is the largest stadium of its kind in all of Europe. The turnout of betters and spectators really reflected this momentous occasion. The entrance fee was £6, and because we were a group of six, we got a group special that included two free drinks and two free bets. Not much of a gambler, I played only the two free bets I was given and nothing more. There were 14 races and I saw one of my bets the second I opened to the last page. The second bet was found later - both were nostalgic bets based on the names of the dogs; I cared little for their track record and winning streaks.
The dog races were so quick. Each race only lasted about two minutes as the dog ran about one lap (475m) around the track. I fed off the energy of the crowd when the lights dimmed and the bell sounded for the signal of the race. Six trap doors opened and six dogs sped out of their pen to follow a mechanical bunny around the perimeter of the track. The crowd shouted fervently, "Come on #2!" "Go FOUR!!" "Come on #6!!!" It was so thrilling to see them run and our standing position in the crowd was right at the finish line, which made seeing the winners that much more exciting.
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| The dogs race by so fast! The blur on the right is the dog. |
My first bet was placed at Race 12. The dog was "Droopys Giamatti" (#6). He was chosen because I once described an expression that I gave my best friend as the cartoon character Droopy. Since then, it has been my occasional nickname for him. Droopys Giamatti did not win. Race 14, and the last race of the night, was 640m instead of the standard distance. At 22:30, the bell sounded and the crowd roared in excitement over their dogs. The majority of my friends bet on the same dog as I and it was fun to hear us all root for him. "Wishyouwerehere" (#2) took up the rear by the finish of the first lap, but as he rounded the third bend that would bring in the final leg of the race, Wishyouwerehere gained momentum and sped past his opponents and took the lead. My friends and I chanted "Go TWO! Go TWO! GO!! GO!!" Wishyouwerehere maintained his lead and crossed the finish line in FIRST PLACE! We pumped our fists in the air and cheered as we realized we bet on the winning dog. I had won my first bet at a dog race. On a free (£1) bet, I had won a grand total of £1.80. Wicked.
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| Wishyouwerehere finishes FIRST! |
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| My winning bet! |
