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I was watching Sunday’s magnificent Attenborough programme, The Hunt, when it occurred to me that hunters are not dissimilar to punters. It set me wondering about what drives us to run around the landscape of form and tips and speed figures and video replays seeking…well, seeking what? I’m not sure.
I don’t bet to win money. It’s nice if I do, but it’s a side issue. I bet because I’ve noticed something, and stalked it, spent time on sizing up the risks of continuing the chase. Often, I’ll abandon the pursuit and turn elsewhere and keep looking until I happen upon a prospect that meets my evaluation of risk/reward, and I draw from my quiver of financial arrows, and notch one – perhaps my best one, onto the bowstring and take aim.
If I nail it, I get to be self-satisfied for a while, until the hunger returns. Unfortunately, I cannot at that point let others know of my satisfaction and good judgement, because many will say, why did you not tell us of this before you went out today?
So, perhaps, when I come here to the TRF village, to the big races zone and I call out to all who might listen that the beast I have been following is about to move into the target zone, I’m telling you in advance how much I trust my judgement because I believe my skills merit recognition and admiration. But maybe this is where we punters differ from the hunters. A million years ago, the last thing I would have wanted was to share my kill. Keeping it secret could be the difference between living and dying.
These days, almost all of us have what food and shelter we need. But running deep within us, nurtured across eons, does the urge to hunt remain? How does that urge manifest itself? Photographers hunt harmlessly, but are still eager to show off successes. Maybe football fans hunt in packs. Fishermen? An easy one, and the trophy is the important thing now, not the meal.
So, is the punting instinct really the hunting instinct seeking a way out?
Inspector Morse unravelled the Times Crossword, Drone unravelled Horse Races: both intellectual challenges to stimulate the neglected higher thought processes and subdue the lower-but-necessary thoughts of the mundane, duty, concern, boredom and fleeting, shallow pleasures of the flesh
The ‘hunt’ to get a difficult task done or to be proven right and the ensuing lasting, deep satisfaction if successful
Mr Attenborough told us that four out of five stalks of quarry by leopards end in failure: yep that’s the punting hunt alright, and you’re right it’s all mine, to gorge on alone in private
There are analogies one could draw from David Attenborough’s superb (if somewhat sanitised) program: success is only possible with patience and effort; opportunity occurs only rarely out in the jungle – so fill yourself up while you can; and that a lean time is probably just around the corner.
But back with the humans, and I think The Thick Of It‘s brilliantly profane Malcolm Tucker accidentally described betting most accurately: “It’s like The Shawshank Redemption. Only with a lot more wading through sh*t and no f***ing redemption.”
Mike
I like the analogy. Most hunters in the wild rely on silence. I always remember a McManus quote when asked (something like) what traits make a good punter. “Keeping your mouth shut”
In any tribal society, where the survival of the people depended on the skill of the hunters, the best hunter got the pick of the ladies.
I think this is where the analogy breaks down …….
imo We are not hunters or punters, we are investors.
Speak for yourself :)
Rugby and cricket are my favourite sports but I rarely punt on them. I find football and horse racing better punting opportunities and although they’re not my favourite I still get a lot of enjoyment from watching both sports.
If I continually lost punting I would have to stop betting. Profit first please.
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