Beamers and punters!
By A.C. de Silva
CRICKET AND RACING ...Cricket and Racing seem to be inter-related and
this can be seen by the fact that some cricketers and keen racing fans
too. Wesley Hall, one time manager of the West Indies cricket team would
ever remember the reception he received at the Guindy racecourse. At the
racecourse, the genial giant was easily spotted and autograph hunters
converged on him. He obliged them all.
At horse racing .... Wes Hall (left) and trainer Chariwal
with Sean Hall astride Young Diana. |
Wes Hall accompanied his son, Sean Hall, who exercised horses so well
that trainers were ready to give mounts to the youngster at the races.
Sean won his very first mount. Young Diana in such a neat fashion that a
local owner expressed a desire to engage him for the following winter;
Sean might have won his second mount too. But the horse Roman Smile
reared up in the stall and it was with some difficulty that the filly
was steered into second place - a good effort indeed by her jockey, who
had sprained a muscle, when he hit the backdate of the starting stall in
that race.
Dadda impressed
Wes Hall was all praise for the facilities at Guindy. "The course is
most enviable." he said referring to the ideal way in which it had been
laid. It gave the jockey ample scope to settle his mount and set it for
the final acceleration in the straight. In that statement Wesley Hall
was only echoing what world-famous jockeys have said about the course.
Hall's knowledge of racing is astonishing and he has an eye for picking
good looking ones too.The charm of racing lies in his uncertainty.
"Sometimes you just throw away the luck that bekons you." Hall said. It
happened to him once at a race in Adelaide way back in 1962.Sobers had
picked a horse, Young Pedro to be backed. He was available at long odds.
As Wes was going to the ring to place the bet as Australian cricketer
dissuaded him, saying that the favourite would not get beaten. Hall
changed his mind and backed the favourite. Young Pedro won by a street.
An embarrassed Hall didn't find words to explain to Sobers. Twenty years
later when Hall was in Adelaide this Australian cricketer did not call
him by his name, but hailed him with, "Hey, Young Pedro."
Close link
Racing and cricket are closely connected. Most cricketers are racing
enthusiasts, which made someone remark "It's the same language at
Chepauk and Guindy." Michael Holding, for instance, owned two horses at
a certain time, Undercover and Precocious.
Holding meticulously studied the form of the horses when he came to
Guindy. Whether the visiting cricketers made money at all was not
probed, but from their faces it was obvious they had enjoyed their
visit.
Most unfortunately the Christmas Day turned out to be rather wet and
the programme had to be cancelled. The Madras Race Club had made
elaborate arrangements to entertain the Test cricketers. Two special
cups had been instituted. Of course, the Christmas Day's programme was
gone through at a later date. But there were only a few West Indian
cricketers present. It was understandable, for the team had to leave for
Australia the next day. The Christmas Day's programme included the West
Indies Cup which was given away by Wes Hall. The India Cup was given
away by Mrs. Michael Hodling. She had a big laugh when someone remarked,
"Now that you have given away our cup we have adopted you as a daughter
of India and will not allow you to leave for the West Indies."
Mike was not present at Guindy on that day. He was bowling beamers at
Chepauk. His reaction could not be had therefore!
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