Yelp Edinburgh's Night at the Races with Maker's Mark @ Voodoo Rooms!

Big hats, bigger bets, a horse called Woof Woof and an endless supply of juleps. Sounds like the makings of another Edinburgh Yelp Elite event! As the horses warmed up for their first big race, Edinburgh yelpers donned their finest suits, pearls, hats and cravats to place their bets and win some big bucks. Hosted in the Voodoo Rooms' Speakeasy with Jane from Maker's Mark running the bookies office and proceedings – it was a perfect night for juleps in July!

In the lavish surroundings of Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh yelpers were welcomed to their own private night at the races with Maker's Mark 'champagne' on arrival and the finest feast of Southern fried food from Voodoo Rooms. Think fried chicken, mozzarella sticks and the meatiest ribs around. Fingers were licked, BBQ sauce was spilled and not a crumb was left (except for the few Chris M was saving for later...on his shirt).

The champagne was only an apertif to some mean Maker's Mark minty juleps mixed up by the Voodoo Rooms staff. Not a yelper was left without a drink in hand till the last race was over – hats off to Maker's Mark and the Voodoo Rooms for ensuring Edinburgh yelpers were well watered that night!

With betting slips and the starting $200 in hand, yelpers began placing their bets and settled down for a night of 5 races with favourites from Banana Republic, Miss Behave, Woof Woof and Yelp Yelp (wait, was that one?!) Odds were hedged, some went all-in and others tripled their money in one go. It was an evening of highs and lows, cheers and jeers and more than a few wripped tickets!

After 5 races there were some clear winners (and not-so-winners). Geoff K collected the prize for overall money winner with his $6000 IOU! And to celebrate the finest looking guys and gals in town, Jane also presented the best dressed Gent and Lady with their own Maker's Mark prize: hats off to Kay L and Chris M for looking lavishly lush and, er, gruffly stained?!

After the last julep was drunk and the last horse crossed the line, a big round of applause and many cheers of thanks were heard for Jane from Maker's Mark who, as Susan D said 'did a fantastic job of managing our bets and distributing the prizes', all the staff at the Voodoo Rooms for hosting, providing food and endless drinks and of course to everyone who came and brought the party!

As is becoming a fine tradition for the Edinburgh Elites, the merriment continued well-on past the event end with yelpers taking a seat in the Voodoo Rooms bar upstairs to try the legendary special cocktail – the Kentucky Catapult.

Once again, a big thank you to Jane from Maker's Mark, Iain, Gordon, the bar and kitchen staff from Voodoo Rooms, Robin Mair for the photies and all the yelpers who came, bet, won, lost and still stuck around for more!

Read more and write your own review of the event, talk about it and have a look at the photies. Want to get involved? Find out more about the Yelp Elite squad or join the Edinburgh yelpers at another wee get-together.

Until next time y'all!

Jenny L
Yelp Edinburgh Community Manager