No Luck of the Irish

Limerick Racecourse is no Keeneland, and being in Ireland certainly didn't bring me any luck.

Phillip and I decided to venture out to the racecourse for Student Raceday. Clearly, we weren't going to be able to make it to Keeneland this season, and we just felt like we were missing something. Although we didn't expect it to be exactly the same, we expected it to be more similar than it was.

For starters, there are about 20 bookie tents where you can make bets, not just one betting desk with the same odds and payouts. From the start, we had to not only attempt to read the program - which was a fail in itself- but then find where we could get the best payout if we bet correctly.

Then when it came to betting, no one bookie was the same as another. Some only took 5 euro bets, some refused to give change, some didn't mind giving change. Also, you can only make two types of bets - either to win or both ways. To Win is the same as home; Both Ways gives you two bets, one to win and one to place. You can't just bet to place. You certainly couldn't bet to show, and don't even try to bet trifecta, superfecta, or anything fancy. Phillip tried with no avail and probably made a few bookies upset asking because he held up the betting lines.

Beyond that, the track was different too. It wasn't flat and it was only grass. There was a significant hill in the track and the grass wasn't even nicely trimmed or even. Also, there was no score board, video screen or the like in the field, or anywhere for the matter. When watching the race, if you didn't have binoculars, you weren't going to see what was happening until the finish. At the end of the race, you had to walk around the stands and to the show ring to see what the top three finishing horses were if it wasn't obvious from the finish.

Some things were the same though. My luck certainly hasn't changed since I've been in Ireland. I'm still terrible at betting on horses and didn't win a single race. College kids are still the same. We had a streaker jump the fence and run part of the track. The track is still the same length and race lengths are no longer either.

Either way though, we still had a great time there. It made me miss Keeneland, Turfway, and just Kentucky Horse Racing in general. We're going to go to one of the local bookie offices and see if we can put money down on the Kentucky Derby over here. Maybe I'll get some more luck of the Irish before then!
Phillip and I along the track at Student Raceday.