Dead bet on a dead horse
With the Nuwara Eliya races this month and talking of horses, I venture to relate a story from the naughty past! I was sharing a room in Siripa Road, Thimbirigasyaya, with a college mate when we were woken by one of our close buddies who had good connections to the racing fraternity. We knew little or nothing about horses or races at the time.
We were told about a horse named Amurath whose Muththu was known to our buddy and if we could pay the Muththu 500 bucks, a tidy sum in those days, the Muththu would dope (with opium) Amurath and it would win by miles if not yards!
We backed our buddy and Amurath, Period. Odds were 40 to 1. Five of us (not to mention names) syndicated at Rs. 100 each to collect the required Rs. 500 which was well beyond our means in those days. I had problems finding even the 100 bucks, my contribution, as pocket money I got from my mother then, was only 2 rupees per week. I borrowed left, right and centre, from uncles, aunties and friends without a care in the world as winnings were assured to pay back the debts! We also agreed that we would together bet only 500 bucks i.e. 100 each and the bet would be placed at Podi-mahathaya’s bookie at Thimbirigasyaya junction fearing the odds would reduce if we placed the bet at the venue.
Podi-mahathaya was no doubt bemused.
The big day arrived and the 5 of us were outside the race course near the CH grounds, at the 3rd bend as it were, to watch the spectacle and our sure bet unfold! The race started and on the first bend Amurath was last, but close. By the second, our Amu was last by just 5 yards which swelled to 10 yards by the third bend where we were. I turned at our buddy to seek solace, only to be consoled that the dope hits the animal only at the end. So there was still hope! In the final stretch our Amu was struggling and her rear legs were literally in “nondi” gear, dragging and very close to collapsing. We were all flummoxed with reality staring and not knowing how to pay the debts we owed to uncles, aunties and friends.
The story doesn’t end there, though. About a week later my room-mate and I were at Podi’s for a game of billiards when Podi approached us and in his husky voice asked us, why we had backed Amurath, the 40 year old filly out of all horses? sheepishly we looked up as we were dumb stricken for answer. He then told us that the “kannadi dapu usamahaththaya awilla thawa rupiyal seeyak damma, mahaththayala giyata passé.” (After you’ll left a tall gentleman in spectacles came in and paid another Rs. 100).
Moral of the story: 1) refrain from insider trading
when backing old horses. 2) don’t trust usa-mahathayas
for they have the money. 3) never borrow from uncles, aunties and friends for nefarious activities. Over the years, a bit of spice and vinegar has been added to sweeten the story but it is absolutely true in the fundamental. Nalin Pathikirikorale
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