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Post by Claire on Jun 5, 2010 12:32:04 GMT 1
Hi all, as its Derby Day got me thinking we should have our own. And just to be a bit different it's a Donkey Derby. ;D The focus is on betting on the race and trying to win money. Everyone is allowed £100 (pumble money!) to bet on the donks. You can divide your money between 2 donkeys, or you can put all of it on just one. Sorry no each way bets as its too complicated for my feeble brain to work out! Whatever you win will be added to your Pumble Farm account, or if you are not playing on the farm game you can bet just for fun. The race itself will be run on Tuesday evening to give everyone a chance to make their selections. To see the list of runners, their odds and form visit this page: donkeyderby.ponymadbooklovers.co.ukRead the form comments and weigh up the odds and the abilities of the donks, then post here who you want to bet on and how much. Bonus points if you spot which donkeys are from books and which real life Derby winners I have parodied! BTW in case you dont know much about betting 6-4 is the equivlent of 1 and a half to 1. Hope you have fun picking your donkeys
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Post by Deleted on Jun 5, 2010 17:22:27 GMT 1
Thanks Claire, looks like a lot of fun!
I'm sticking the whole lot on Josephine ;D
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Post by susanb on Jun 5, 2010 18:03:34 GMT 1
Sounds like fun, but I can't get the link to open! Will keep trying!
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Post by darkhorse on Jun 5, 2010 19:02:15 GMT 1
The link works OK for me susanb, so maybe you should try it again. I think I'll have £50 on Tammy and £50 on Donkey Devious. Love the name! ;D Tammy is from The Donkey Race and I think Josephine is the donkey in Special Delivery, isn't she?
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Post by darkhorse on Jun 5, 2010 19:04:18 GMT 1
.....and of course we all know where Eeyore comes from!
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Post by Buster on Jun 5, 2010 20:53:51 GMT 1
All on Brighty he sounds cute lol x
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Post by Claire on Jun 5, 2010 21:05:29 GMT 1
Just off to the Pumble Bookies to put the bets on
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Post by haffyfan on Jun 5, 2010 21:21:25 GMT 1
sounds fun lol think I will have to split mine between Rebecca because she's my sister and the one trained by the fanes...ws it mill reefer...after all The Comet romped away with the point to point they entered him in
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Post by kunuma on Jun 5, 2010 22:50:36 GMT 1
Mill Reefer ;D£50 on him in fond memory of the 70's The other £50 on Eeyore, I still have my first toy horse that I called Eeyore!
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Post by susanb on Jun 6, 2010 2:22:54 GMT 1
Today was a big race day in the US too, btw.....the Belmont Stakes, the third jewel in the US triple crown (the first two being the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes. Run at Belmont Park in New York City, at 1 1/2 miles the longest of the three races.
I've joked before about the propensity of pony/horse book authors to also write about ballet: Lorna Hill, Lee Wyndham, Regina Woody, Rumer Godden, et al, but today life imitated art: the Belmont winner was a horse named Drosselmeyer!
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Post by susanb on Jun 6, 2010 2:45:54 GMT 1
Finally got the link to work!
Will go 50 on Brighty of Grand Canyon (with Marguerite Henry as his creator and Mary O'Hara the "mother" of Ken McLaughlin, it should be a good team!
And 50 on Donkey Devious....cunning sometimes does win over talent....the sneaky little devil may be figuring out how to nobble his competition as we speak :-) I don't know where DD springs from, but if Miss Tuke can tackle Shantih and Jinny, she's up for anything!
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Post by Claire on Jun 6, 2010 13:19:48 GMT 1
Glad you got the link to work susan Interesting that both our countries had triple crown races on the same day. Our 3rd leg is much later in the season in september, the St Leger at Doncaster which is in Yorkshire! Funny you talking about ballet as the last winner of our triple crown was I think Nijinsky.
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Post by susanb on Jun 6, 2010 17:03:36 GMT 1
It's not too much of a coincidence re the races....the biggies are on Saturday, and there are only so many spring/fall Saturdays!
Re the ballet connection....grin, racehorse owners take note: name your new colt/filly after a dancer and waltz into the winner's circle :-)
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Post by Claire on Jun 6, 2010 17:27:21 GMT 1
Actually the Derby used to always be run on a Wednesday! A lot of our top races were run on weekdays, but they seem to be slowly moving them to weekends.
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Post by susanb on Jun 6, 2010 17:44:59 GMT 1
On Wednesdays? That's surprising! They do them Saturdays here, because the big point of the big race is to get as many people to the track as possible, and Saturday is the easiest day to do that.
I think in days gone by, when far more people followed racing, they'd take a day or an afternoon off to go to an important race....I've read of instances where the New York Stock Exchange closed so that traders could go to an important match race!
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Post by Claire on Jun 6, 2010 20:56:08 GMT 1
I think they were trying to keep the riff-rff out ;D
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Post by Claire on Jun 7, 2010 12:44:03 GMT 1
Just a reminder to all who want to take part, place your bets before tomorrow evening when I will be running the race, probably about 8pm. Find out more in the opening post and check out the donkeys form on the link below: donkeyderby.ponymadbooklovers.co.uk/
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Post by kunuma on Jun 8, 2010 13:17:27 GMT 1
Well the donkeys don't stand a chance then, evens on Claire to win!
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Post by Claire on Jun 8, 2010 13:36:00 GMT 1
lol kunuma I think not if I was running in it I would be 1000-1!
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Post by Claire on Jun 8, 2010 19:52:20 GMT 1
And its almost time for the big race of the evening: the Pumbles Donkey Derby!
Unfortunately its not just the donkeys who are full of cunning. Some of the trainers and gamblers have been up to no good!
The latest news is that one of the donkeys has been nobbled by a rival who has swapped their water bucket for a bucket full of scrumpy! Another devious soul has tampered with one of the donkey's saddles! But which donkeys have been interfered with? And what other nefarious deeds have been done?
All will be revealed soon....
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Post by darkhorse on Jun 8, 2010 20:02:24 GMT 1
I hope no-one has nobbled my donkeys. I think Miss Tuke would not be averse to doing something like that but luckily she has one of my donkeys.
Go Tammy and Donkey Devious! ;D
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Post by Deleted on Jun 8, 2010 20:08:26 GMT 1
Get a move on Josephine!!!!
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Post by Claire on Jun 8, 2010 20:22:16 GMT 1
PLEASE NOTE: the following race is run (as in real life) under a combination of skills and luck (ie me with a dice!)
THE START:
The Donkeys are lining up at the start. Slop Anchor, Donkey Devious and Josephine are having a kicking match and refusing to line up. The stewards finally manage to drag them to the start, but Slop Anchor is pointing the wrong way!
The starter drops his flag.
They're off!
The favourite Eeyore make a good start, followed by Tammy and Brighty. Close behind, together in 4th position are Donkey Devious and Rebecca. Mill Reefer and Josephine are ambling along at a slow trot well behind and Slop Anchor is still pointing the wrong way!
At the first furlong marker, Tammy and Brighty are challenging Eeyore for the lead. Donkey Devious is coming up quickly on the outside. Rebecca is dropping back slightly to join Mill Reefer near the back. Josephine has stopped to investigate the juicy looking grass of the race track and Slop Anchor has finally been persuaded to point in the right direction!
As they come round the first bend the favourite Eeyore has dropped back and now Tammy and Brighty are neck and neck. Mill Reefer is also coming up closely to challenge Eeyore, but Donkey Devious seems to be losing interest and dropping back. Slop Anchor has now started to run and has actually overtaken Josephine who is still chomping the grass, much to her jockey's dismay!
Positions so far:
1st Tammy & Brighty 2nd Mill Reefer 3rd Eeyore 4th Rebecca 5th Donkey Devious
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Post by darkhorse on Jun 8, 2010 20:24:45 GMT 1
Tammy is in the lead!
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Post by Claire on Jun 8, 2010 20:30:52 GMT 1
CIRCUIT 1
As the donkeys come down the straight they spot something on the track. Some-one has left a large bucket of carrots there – by accident or on purpose? Whatever the reason, the appetizing aroma is wafting towards the donkey’s noses. Will their jockeys be able to keep their mounts attention on the job in hand?
Tammy, Brighty, Mill Reefer, Eeyore and Rebecca are all hauled past the carrots by their jocks. Donkey Devious is tempted long enough to snatch a quick mouthful of carrots, which enable Slop Anchor, strangely unmoved by the sight and smell of the carrots, to pass him. But the aroma is too much for Josephine. She has finally been persuaded to stop eating grass and re-join the race only for her poor jockey to be carted straight towards the carrots where she buries her head in the bucket and begins to munch as if there is no tomorrow….
From the stands Colonel Shellbourne curses, he had hoped more donkeys would succumb to the carrots, especially his rival Major Holbrooke’s Eeyore. Still at least his own donkey Slop Anchor has managed to get a bit further forward. He made sure he had given old Sloppy plenty of carrots before the race so he is full up with them!
After these nefarious goings on the donkeys (sans Josephine) are approaching the end of the first circuit and pass what wil be the finishing line next time round.
Positions so far:
1st Tammy 2nd Brighty 3rd Eeyore 4th Rebecca 5th Donkey Devious 6th Slop Anchor 7th Mill Reefer
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Post by Claire on Jun 8, 2010 20:35:39 GMT 1
CIRCUIT 2 As the donkeys head down the straight for the second time the leader Tammy suddenly starts to lose ground, and is passed by the leaders. She seems to be in a be almost drunk….and she IS drunk. It seems Tammy is the donkey who had been nobbled with the scrumpy and it has just started affecting her now! It looks like her chances of winning are sliding down the drain…. As Tammy is slowing down Eeyore and Brighty are fighting for the lead with Rebecca close behind, with the others still a few lengths behind. Its now: 1st Eeyore 2nd Brighty 3rd Rebecca and Tammy 4th Donkey Devious 5th Slop Anchor and Mill Reefer The donks are now approaching the carrot bucket again. It is now empty and Josephine, full and happy, has decided to have a snooze right in the middle of the race track! She is causing an obstruction and forcing the other donkeys against the inside rail. It will take a cunning donkey to negotiate this hazard! Eyore gets past easily but the others are bunched up in two groups. Brighty gets squeezed out by Tammy who even drunk is more devious than nice-donkey Brighty. Then Donkey Devious lives up his name, he slows down and when Slop Anchor and Mill Reefer catch him up he stops dead forcing them to trip over Josephine and both the jocks to fly off! It looks like they could be out of the race along with Jospehine! This nasty trick seems to give Donkey Devious a burst of energy and he puts on a spurt to almost catch up with the leaders! As the donks turn round the last bend to approach the final straight Eeyore begins to pull ahead of the field, with Brighty 2 or 3 lengths behind, Tammy once more dropping back as she staggers along at a drunken canter. She is passed by Donkey Devious who has moved up to challenge for third place and even Mill Reefer, whose jockey managed to quickly re-mount, is catching up. Slop Anchor’s jockey has however given up and stumbled off to the first aid tent (well that’s his story – it’s more probably the bar….) and so Sloppy is out of it. Coming up to the last leg of the race the postitions now are: 1st Eeyore 2nd Brighty 3rd Rebecca & Donkey Devious 4th Tammy 5th Mill Reefer THE FINISH The donks have had a hard race and are starting to tire. Stamina will come into play now, although with the firm ground it may not be as important as it could have been had the ground been softer. The donks are just a couple of furlongs from the finish line and they all have a chance. Rebecca is in a strong challenging position but then her saddle starts to slip! Once again someone has been up to no good – this time with a pair of scissors to cut through Rebecca’s girth! It has been hanging by a string for the race but the strain of a round little donkey barrel has been too much for it and it has finally given up the fight! Rebecca’s saddle and jockey fall to the ground and she is out of the race! Meanwhile there is more excitement as Donkey Devious has now got the bit between his teeth, now Rebecca is out of it he only has Eeyore and Brighty ahead! As he catches up to Brighty he grabs her tail between his teeth and pulls! When she looks round to see what is happening he whips past her, moving into second place! But Eeyore is still pulling away and is now 4 lengths ahead. Can he do it? Positions now are: 1st Eeyore 2nd Donkey Devious 3rd Brighty 4th Tammy 5th Mill Reefer They are approaching the finishing line now. Donkey Devious has made a good effort but is being outclassed once more by Brighty, who passes him, sticking out her tongue and blowing a large wet raspberry as she does so. She begins to gain on Eeyore who is losing concentration slightly. As the post comes nearer she gets closer and closer and the two pass the post together! PHOTO FINISH! In the meantime Donkey Devious manages to come in third, beating Mill Reefer and Tammy, who trots past the post in last place, hiccupping with a large grin on her face! Please wait while the judges study the photo and give the final positions.... EDIT: THE JUDGES HAVE MADE THEIR DECISION. TO FIND OUT THE RESULT OF THE PHOTO FINISH AND ALL THE FINAL PLACINGS PLEASE VISIT THE LINK:donkeyderby.ponymadbooklovers.co.uk/
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Post by susanb on Jun 8, 2010 21:13:39 GMT 1
ROFL!!! Wish I could have seen this race in person, but just hearing the "call" was fantastic :-)
Snicker....the Donkey Jockey Club should call in Sid Halley to look into the activities of a few of these characters!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 9, 2010 7:13:05 GMT 1
LOL ;D
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Post by Claire on Jun 9, 2010 11:49:54 GMT 1
ROFL!!! Wish I could have seen this race in person, but just hearing the "call" was fantastic :-) Snicker....the Donkey Jockey Club should call in Sid Halley to look into the activities of a few of these characters! Glad you enjoyed it susan. Lol at the Sid Halley comment ;D Coincidentally just finished reading the latest Dick (and Felix) Francis thriller. In case you are wondering which donks come from books and which names I made up to parody previous Derby winners here is the list: EEYORE - is an explanation needed??? Pooh Bear's miserable chum! TAMMY - he wins the Donkey Derby in DPT's The Boy and the Donkey aka The Donkey Race BRIGHTY - from Brighty of the Grand Canyon by Marguerite Henry REBECCA - the donkey from Sweet Rock by Gillian Baxter JOSEPHINE - star of Special Delivery by Gillian Baxter MILL REEFER - parody of 1971 winner Mill Reef DONKEY DEVIOUS - parody of 1992 winner Dr Devious SLOP ANCHOR - parody of 1985 winner Alip Anchor
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Post by Buster on Jun 9, 2010 13:57:29 GMT 1
Ooh the results are in! Well done Brighty!
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