THE LAST WORD
THE WINNING TICKET
Richard O’Leary recalls a magical day at the races when he thought all was lost.
T
his year marked a turning point for Father’s Day with my first present selected and bought by one of my boys. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always loved their random knick-knacks, painted rocks, handmade key rings and the like. But this year my eldest son was right on the money. His purchase of The Big Book of Australian Racing Stories by Jim Haynes revealed a deeper understanding of his dad than I gave him credit. I’ve always loved racing, from my first trots meeting as a youngster to calling the local greyhound races when I was in my teens – I don’t really know how my son clued on because I rarely have a bet these days. So I’m reading these tales from the track and I start to think about some of the adventures I have enjoyed and endured on the punt.
There have been some reasonable wins, and many losses, but the day that sticks out most was neither – I just broke even on the day. A week after I was elected school captain I offered odds on the Melbourne Cup to my high school mates and teachers and collected $180– which was a fair bit of money in 1988, especially when you didn’t have a job. I went out to a country meeting to watch the local nags go around and see the race that stops a nation on the TV screens. As luck would have it the first and second favourite got up in the Cup – Empire Rose and Natski – not a good year to be a bookie, although I came out even, having just enough to cover my bets. But I had been given a few tips on some of the other races at Flemington and that’s when the trouble started. It wasn’t long before I was down to my last $20 with no means to pay my debts; I foresaw the
shortest captaincy in the history of the school and a couple of black eyes to boot. In for a penny in for a pound, I put my last ‘red lobster’ on a horse called Concordance at five to one, which would give me just enough to pay the winning bets. The horse jumped out last and was many lengths off the pace when the field turned for home. I prayed to God, prepared my resignation speech, and threw my ticket to the ground to join the hundreds of other discarded losers. Then I heard those three magical words: “Here comes CONCORDANCE!” She won by three, and my school career was saved. I just had to find that ticket. I did, and collected. I then walked home, unable to pay for a taxi if I wanted to pay the winners at school the next day. olearylastword@gmail.com
PHOTO OF THE WEEK PHOTOGRAPHED BY: Marcia Adams.
LOCATION: From Pincushion looking towards Cotton Tree. Would you like to see your photo in print? See details below.
Submit your landscape photo (1MB min, 5MB max image size) by Friday, for the following week’s publication. photos@myweeklypreview.com.au
Gorgeous
HOMEWARES
SPECIAL Gifts
NEW
Gifts instore now myweeklypreview.com.au
95.indd 1
Find us at Shop 11, Buderim Marketplace, Burnett Street P. 5453 7797 buderimlifestyle
BUDERIM My Weekly Preview | September 15, 2017 95
11/09/2017 5:13:25 PM