July fever now just the sniffles

The July fever is gone. I’m not talking the month – I’m talking the most important horse race on even a non-bettor’s calendar. I’m a non-bettor. But not when it’s July time. Then I, like thousands of others, have a betting flurry and place my R50 for a win, R50 for a place on my winner.

Not that I ever win – big that is. I lie. I once did. I dreamt about the sky, went through the horses and picked Over The Air. Doubled my money and could put two new tyres on my little Mini. Not only did I bet my R10 both ways, I also backed Over The Air in the family raffle and the one the office had going. And that’s why I say the July fever is down.

What happened to the family raffle? The office draw? If you don’t have a bookie, you go off to the local TAB with your 100 bucks. Only, when last did you walk into a TAB to place your flurry? It’s dead. And I don’t blame Covid.

The pandemic has never stopped punters: they queue nearly around the block on a big sports day. But not to flog a dead horse: they’re there for anything but the July. Armed with my small change, I waited my turn at the teller. Only, she was taking soccer bets.

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“Sorry, Mammy. See that teller in the corner? She’s the only one taking July bets.” What happened to every teller being swamped with would-be winners trying their luck? Why is there only one table in the corner with men talking form and totes?

I don’t tell my friend I think the glory days are gone forever. Over and over he tells me how his mother put food on the table and saw them through varsity with her winnings on the horses. She was a good punter – but knew nothing about horses. Her secret? She used to hang around the jockeys’ changing room and when their grooms stormed out just before a race to place their bets, she hurried with them.

Her eavesdropping supplemented his father’s railway income beautifully. How I wish some fevers can stay. With apologies to Peggy Lee:

Never know how much I love you

Never know how much I care

When you put your saddle on for me I get a fever that’s so hard to bear…