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peterpan

Yesterday decided to go with a couple of my dodgy mates and take our families to the Udon race track.Rcaes are held each Staurday afternoon from 12.30 to 5 pm. 10 races with about 8 horses in each. Bets can be laid between 20 Bhat and 2,000, as well there seemed to be a couple of bookies around.

Theses are my dodgy mates, Dave (a septic) and Mutz (a Swede ), here they are just having laid a bet, Mutz was quite lucky, he won quite a bit and as is the custom shouted a beer after a win. As a consequence I went home quite shit faced.




This is the area where bets are laid and food and bozze are consumed, behind the stand, a few Military gents around so assume the whole setup is operated by the defence forces. Plenty of food available, even a western food stall doing hamburgers and Hot dogs etc.





Some good ol Udon boys enjoying a beer and the races, lots of Westeners there. Drinks and food very cheap, large Leo was 40 Baht, 3 cans of heiny 100 Baht and free peanuts from the stall holder. Good deal and great service, you just looked at the stall holder and her was over with new beer and fresh glasses with peanuts.
Very pleasant service. copetition was hot, lots of stalls selling the full range of Booze and Thai tatty stuff. Enough loverly beer girls roaming around to even keep Propagator VERY happy.





So onto the racing, sadly the race starts way other the other side of the track so you can barely see the start, then they only run 1000 Mtrs to the finish line so its all over and done with quickly. I suppose being Thai horses they ain't got too much energy.




So here they come to the finish line, the crowd noise is incredible, I thought the bloody stand was going to come down.





Shown below is the Sports club, I guess like the Members area where all the high rollers hang out. I didn't press my luck seeing if they would leta scum bag Farang enter, but next time I will put on my best Tefler type shoes and a tie and see if I can gain entry.




The birdcage are where the horses are paraded around before the race. Horses didn't look in bad condition really.
Some of the jockeys looked like they were about 8 years old, they could hardly reach the stirrups.




A view of the stand from the track rails. Well behaved crowd with the usual race track mafia types present, big amulets, mullet haircuts and gold chains etc but security was quite tight, lots of little guys with security uniforms keeping a close eye on the crowd.
Met the loacal Udon big bike dealer there, this guy will put most Thai bullshitters to shame, reckons he owns 17 race horses, I followed his tips for a couple of races but had better luck going with the advice of the Beer can collector.





Then as I was using wifeys little camera the battery called it quits.
All in all a good afternoon out, cheap food and beer, no entry fee, bit of fun with the betting, wife had some luck with her bets and covered the day out Booze and all. I got well pissed and went home to sleep it off, kids thought it was great.

sharon

I didn't know before that we have this kind of stuff in Thailand.
Thanks for sharing.

Tao

Yup good thread, i enjoy a flutter on the ponies myself

terry57

Nice thread peter. well done.

kingwilly

RBSC, you can see it from the skytrain!

i've played cricket there also!

great stuff old man!

judgin by that photo, you were shitfaced before you went home!

sabang

Fantastic mate- I love a day at the races. Next time in Udon it's a must do- do they operate year round, or just the cooler months?

forreachingme

Was thinking only Korat has this kind of race track!

That is what i was told, went once in 7 years, looks very similar, Korat may be more crowded and specially plenty of people outside overlooking the wall,so no entry fee to pay!

Many Thai addicts to that betting over here...

I won, but i placed only on winning horse, may be 300 thb for a 100 thb bet...Was not that difficult by looking at the different horses, one was really looking better then competitors

nedwalk

^ i metioned once before, i went to the gg,s at chaing mai, had a great day out, got good and drunk and had a good old hoot with the locals, i was the only whitey there that day, and yea the stands go off, can,t wait to do it again

hillbilly

Great shots!

peterpan

I think Sabang they are held each Saturday all year round, If you are up here drop me a note and will show you the ropes.
Pity the Camera Batts decided enough, as there was some great little fillies to be photographed, which was the next task.
Well next time.
See if I can persude Mr Texpat to come up for next Saturday, even if you are not a horse racing fan as I am not, despite my Dad being a keen owner, its an enjoyable day out.

Thai Pom

Great thread, Cheers

Wayne Kerr

Great stuff PP . How does the betting system work? I assume it is all centralised without individual bookmakers, and no place bets, trifectas etc?

Once had a great "daily double" up in Udon, but nearly ended up a gelding I did .

sabang

^ A trifecta's not such a long shot either.

Johnny Longprong

What, did their girlfriends object??

Texpat

Nice pics Peter, I've been meaning to get out to the track for months. Sounds like a fun Saturday afternoon.

peterpan

How does the betting work ? Bit of a Mystery to me, betting being one of the few vices that I don't indulge in.
Apart from the normal bet to win there are a series of double combinations, say 3 + 5 win and second = 18 in the punters book, so you put whatever sum of money on 18. Its all automated, place your bet and the machine prints out a receipt with yr selection on it which of course you present to collect.

I always thought that gambling was illegal in Thailand, I mean they are only too happy around here to bust a few old Grannies having a bet on game of cards in the privacy of their own home, so how does they get away with it at a track?

Texpat

The army get a piece of the take -- my guess. That explains all the soldiers.

Propagator

Nice thread - wondered that myself about the betting.
Hope the fillies that you were going to photo were of the 2 legged variety

Gallowspole

I used to be a regular at Khon Kaen races and we'd sometimes go to either Roi-Et or Kalasin (can't remember which as a race day used to always involve shit loads of Chivas). I took the daughter along to the Udon track last year and she then went to school on the Monday and told everyone. The teacher told her it was a very bad thing to do and she mustn't go again!!

(Great to see old S**** up and about after his crash last year)

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daveboy

I didn't know they had the gee gees in Thailand looks like a must.