When was the last time you went to the races? As kids, my sister and I would be carted off to a point to point most winter/spring weekends in a convoy of about five cars. Sister would remain in the car, with a transistor radio rigged up to an ariel that rested on the top of a car window. The rest of us would get wet in the rain, and accumulate mud wherever possible.
There was always a picnic, unfailingly with cold bangers, hard boiled eggs and G&Ts. On the way home we would stop off for supper at a chinese restaurant. Looking back, it seems to be a perfect day out, though I expect there was a fair amount of grumbling at the time. It's great to meet fellow race goers, one no more keen than Mark Wallinger. You may remember that his Turner Prize nomination in 1995 was a (real) racehorse called "A Real Work of Art". One of his most recent pieces is another horse, one that will loom large over the Kent countryside; you can read about it here
He's below, Racing Post in hand, enjoying the delights of Epsom.
"The Sport of Kings" is attended by both ends of the social spectrum, providing a fascinating day out. You don't have to spend a fortune, though many seem to lose one at some stage or another. The minimum bet at many point to points is £ 1 so many can indulge in a flutter. Others use the excursion as an excuse to enjoy a picnic in the fresh air, where food always seems to taste that much better than indoors.
Flowers get a look in, and since I want to stay with the floral theme, here's the evidence. What a blooming lovely bouquet.
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