Activities for the Unemployed No. 2

Mid-week horse racing! So you've got a bit of time on your hands during the week?

Well, here's a great day's entertainment - midweek horse racing. Yes, it's true, it will cost you, but if you stick to your budget you could manage on $50, here in Sydney anyway.

Sydney is the proud home of the lovely Royal Randwick racecourse. Randwick is a classy place and it does a good race day.

Midweek, it's kinda slow, so that's a good thing for us unemployed folk. It's good because they make it much cheaper to get in. Much cheaper than a Saturday at Easter, for example.

Here's a little comparison - gate entry at Flemington in Melbourne during the Melbourne Cup carnival is at least $50, more than $75 for a seat in the stand - the public stand. A member's ticket (if you can get one) will set you back more than $200.

In contrast, a Wednesday afternoon at Randwick in November costs $10 to get in, and another $10 to get in to the member's stand. To get into the Members you will have to tell them you belong to another racing club, and they will have to believe you. You are supposed to take your out-of-town member's pass with you as proof. It just so happens I do belong to a racing club in New Zealand, but had no pass with me yesterday at Randwick. I got in, I guess the accent and the NZ driver's licence helped. They are willing to believe because they need people to spend as much as possible because the crowd is so small.

When I first got to the course yesterday, there were more horses there than people.

Most of the time it will cost you a fortune to get into the Members at Randwick, so this is a good way to get in and have a look around, just to be able to say you've been there.

As for other spending: I bought a racebook for $5, but that's not essential. I bought hot chips, a coffee and one glass of bubbly, all of which are essential and cost about $15.

Then I spent $6 on a bet and made $20, and another $4 on a bet and made $12. This was a complete fluke and should not be taken as a general guide or indication of likely success.

It cost about $10 to get to the course and back on public transport.

So I didn't finish 'up', not quite 'even', but it was good fun. Randwick is a jewel in Sydney's crown, so when it's so much more accessible, and cheaper, take advantage.