Prior to this Pinkies event, I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect. The only previous race night I’d attended was a pig racing night in a country pub. The pigs were clockwork. Each was wound up and placed at the starting line of a long table. Still that was some years ago, in rural Dorset – well they have to make their own entertainment in those parts.
By contrast, the Pinkies’ Night at the Races at Bar Aquda on the 22nd of March 2006 was a far more hi-tech affair. To ensure fair play, DVDs of horse races were picked at random and each horse’s number was linked to a horse in the programme. These were sponsored by choir members. Needless to say, some of the names verged on the outrageous and included KY Cantor, On The Job, Hairy Hole and Mr Sphincter’s Next Door Neighbour, plus some even more peculiar ones which were probably only of significance to those who sponsored the horses – best leave it at that!
I was a bit disappointed that commentary for the event focussed on the numbers not the names, although I guess it would have been a bit much to imagine some sort of old Frankie Howerd routine, bursting with innuendoes:
“And they’re off. It’s Liberal MP chasing Rent Boy. This one’s a racing certainty who always goes well on the flat. The unfancied Basil’s Bromide is third and they’re followed by The Raving Queen, Moist Cake and Quite A Handful with Be Upstanding bringing up the rear. The going today at Goodwood is hard…”
Carol won two prizes, still it must be said that she did shout the loudest in support of her horses, throwing herself into the spirit of the event. The last race – the Amsterdam Handicap – featured horses sponsored on the night from the proceeds of an auction. Miranda’s partner won the top prize, two nights bed and breakfast in Amsterdam, generously donated by Bar Aquda.
A big thank you to the soprano section for organising this event!
Finally, I record with regret that the horse I sponsored, On The Job, fell at the first and failed to go the distance. Let’s hope that isn’t portent of things to come.
by Ed
Bass