Gold Cup

1st March 2025

Pollards is quiet… well apart for the spinning of the washing machine … we have a backlog, but it’s just the two of us again. My brother is flying back tonight. We are imposing a 5day detox and back to the grindstone tomorrow. HOWEVER….before that today we had a day at the races. Not just any old Races …. Barbados’ highlight of the equestrian calendar the Sandy Lane Gold Cup. We last went 20yrs ago we had definitely forgotten what an occasion it is ….

Stationing ourselves next to Mike’s rum punch cart … no better place to be … we loaded up with a stiff serving of the island’s best rum punch and some fish cakes and made our way to the bookies to study the form and splash some cash …. Well … good job I had the rum punch on board and I could see the funny side …

The queues were massive … I joined the first one, eventually getting to the kiosk to be told this was only for bingo tickets … no problem the banter around me was quite entertaining and I was getting advice from all and sundry as to who was going to win race 5 … good job because we had already missed race 3.
I joined the next queue. Oh yes I got to the kiosk just in time for race 4… “I going for a break” the crowd behind me were getting rowdy, the banter a little more fruity as we all shifted again to the next line.
In all of this of course I’m having to back another horse… the form what form ..the colours …. Hmm nothing so helpful …. let’s just go with the name …good job I had all those tips back in queue 1.
Oh yes you guessed it, I get to within three of the top of queue 3 and there is an unhappy man who has been given the wrong ticket and wants his money back …. At least I was finding this funny …. Other people around me not so much, there was much cussing and banter. You guessed it I’m now looking for a horse in race 6

After all this, more rum punch was needed… a little visit to the wee wee truck and no I did not miss race 6.

No wins for me, Richard on the other hand collected his winnings in time for a walk around the grounds, to soak up a truly Bajan event … snowcone carts wheeling, fish cakes frying, rum flowing, food trucks with everything from jerk chicken, to pigtails. Stories are being told, voices are raised in hilarity and friendship. People are dressed in Sunday best, or in shorts. The atmosphere builds up to the parade and fanfare of race 8 the Gold Cup itself. Now running at least 40mins behind schedule, the population of Barbados… well a large number of them …. are lining the course, the horses are in, the crescendo peaks, the gates open and they are off ….. the sun is starting to set on a totally brilliant day.