And they're racing.......

I used to love going to the trots at Gloucester Park in Perth. We were in our early twenties and it was a great night out with a group of friends. The course was floodlit and there was a heightened sense of fun and expectation as we inspected the horses, checked their previous form from the Racing Guide, noted their colours ( I often opted for a horse because I liked the colour of the silks) and placed our bets.

So it was with a great deal of excitement that I noticed a trotting track not far from our new home and a notice saying 'Next meeting, March 27'. So off we went.

Morgan Park is a country track, the races are held in the daytime and there were not the bustling crowds I was used to. But the setting was lovely, and this time, 40 years later, we paid concession prices because of our Seniors Card!!!!.

We duly inspected the horses in their stalls and I studiously read the Guide we purchased.

Steve selected the horse for Race 1. Sadly, the horse Wrongly Accused was wrongly selected and it powered past the finishing line a proud last.

I decided to watch the next race with no bet attached, and the horse I mentally selected came second.

We loved the way that, before each race, the stirring sounds of 'Chariots of Fire' erupted over the loudspeaker, adding to the atmosphere and our excitement.

Sadly, my bet for the third race Theeyeshaveit did not have the magic touch either and despite a valiant effort toward the end in which my hopes began to lift, sped by to come fourth.

But it was a fun time. We munched on our picnic lunch, admired the sleek lines of the horses and enjoyed the thunder of hooves as they paced around the track.