Dad was a $2 punter, as others have said, radio used to boom while he was working away in his large garden.
Mum used to follow Harry White, so would back him in the Melbourne spring races, won a few cups from memory, good odds.
Afta school, was part of a group of 6 that loved the racing, still see most of them nearly 40yrs later.
Don’t bother much with NZ gallops, I hate it when horses drop out half way thru race, never see that with Aussie racing, which I never miss on a Sat arvo. Still follow harness on a Thurs / Fri nite, but sometimes rather bet on the league