Aussies and sport; the BIG RACE

... swim, box, balloon, run, row, snow ski or waterski and RACE HORSES – with gusto.

But did you know, that the horse racing captures the country´s attention on the first Tuesday in November, when the Melbourne Cup is run? I´d heard the event reffered to as „the race that stops the nation,“ but I didn´t believe it until I saw it with my own eyes.

I was in Sydney, in the public bar of the Regent Hotel. It was midday and the room was crowded with office workers hovering over the „Cup Day“ buffet, talking about the big race, and placing wagers. Half a dozen TVs brought in for the occasion relayed the happenings at the Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, including lavish parties, women dressed to the nines, and interview with international jet-setters and others for whom this was the highlight of the social season.

Through the window of the pub I could watch the activity on Sydney´s busiest street. Buses and taxis were bumper to bumper, while pedestrians vied for space on the sidewalk.

Then the race started, and George Street suddenly became an empty canyon. The buses disappeared; the taxis stopped; not one person remained outside the window. For 3 minutes Sydney and, I assume, the rest of the nation were transfixed by horses galloping around the track at the Flemington Racecourse. For 3 minutes the only audible sound was the pounding of horses´ hooves and the pounding of punters´ hearts...

Aussies = Australané (slengově)
Assume = zaujmout postoj, být přesvědčen, předpokládat
Audible = slyšitelný
Balloon = letět balónem
Break in = vniknout, propuknout, dát se do něcěho
Bumper to bumper = těsně za sebou, jeden po druhým
Disappear = ztratit se, zmizet
Empty canyon = prádná ulice (doslova “prázdný kaňon”)
Galloping = trysk, cval, pádivý běh
Half a dozen = půl tuctu
Highlight = nejvýznamnější událost
Hooves = kopyta
Hovering = potulující se, postávající
I´d heard the event reffered to as = slyšel jsme uvádět tuto událost jako
Jet-setters = členové mezinárodní smetánky
Lavish = marnotratný, plývající, četný
Midday = poledne
Pedestrians = chodci
Pounding = dunění, tlukot
Punter = sázkař
Relay = vysílat
Remain = zůstat
Row = veslovat
Sidewalk = chodník
To the nines = výtečně, co nejlépe, dokonale
Transfix = být ohromen
Vie for = zápasit o
Wagers = sázky
With gusto = s chutí
With my own eyes = na vlastní oči