Omar's Diary - Sunday 10th June 2018

The Derby Results - A couple of Disappointments - Health care - Adam Smith 

As regular readers of my diary may or may not be aware, one of my selections for The Derby obliged at 16/1. (One does not like to boast.)  Masar crossed the line nearly two lengths clear of his nearest rival to give Godolphin Racing their first ever win this race in their own colours. Coincidentally their colours match those of the Blue Goldfish.  I wonder if that was why they chose them? I sincerely hope some of you followed this august advice on this race and have now collected your winnings.

Generally the last week has been somewhat lack lustre.  Lady Servant has been poorly.  If I am poorly I avail myself of a private medical service at a time that is convenient for both myself and my Servants.  I understand that the servant species, here in Great Britain, do have a medical service where it is not possible to arrange an appointment at their convenience and can wait up to week to be seen.  Servants complain about their health service here but the upside is that despite its imperfections it is free at the point of delivery and medications are heavily subsidised by the state.

This is not like other parts of the world, first or second or third worlds, where citizens often have to pay for medical treatment even before they are examined.  Some first world countries that follow the principles of the market economy as espoused by classic economists such as Adam Smith and David Ricardo have become wealthy under this neo-classical model and left health care to ‘the market’.  Man Servant seems to remember that in Adam Smith’s ‘Wealth of Nations’ where a market economy was first defined there was a comment that even under those conditions the state still has a duty to provide a safety net of care for its population of servants who are less fortunate in matters of employment and health than other servants.  In other parts of the world some countries genuinely cannot afford to provide for health care from their meagre and stretched resources.  That I can understand but I cannot understand why in the 21st century servants in some first world countries are denied access to healthcare on purely economic grounds? 

I am very pleased to announce that Lady Servant is now recovering well and looking forward to spending some time with the equines later today.

My own personal lingering disappointment last week started at 1635 on Saturday afternoon when Masar won The Derby.  As the result was confirmed with the ‘weighed in’ announcement on the racecourse I was assured that I would be suitably rewarded for my efforts.  Every evening the red limousine would arrive in the driveway, Man Servant would walk to the front door of Omar Towers and from ‘work’, I do hope he is not involved in trade.  Every evening I would watch and hope that he would be carrying a bag emblazoned with the logo from the local pet emporium but alas, no.

On Saturday, 10^th June, an additional disappointment emerged.  It was Her Majesty’s ‘Official Birthday.  This is celebrated with a big ceremonial parade in London and with the distribution of what are referred to as ‘Birthday Honours’. The postal servant slipped some envelopes through our letter box yesterday and sadly there was no envelope addressed to me from Buckingham Palace.  I saw on the news that thespian servant, Emma Thompson, has become a Dame.  This is probably the highest and least controversial honour this year’s batch.  Someone received an award for playing with a big train set which I don’t think went down to well with servants who have to commute.

Later yesterday one of my two disappointments were ameliorated.

Lady Servant presented me with my share of the winnings from The Derby.  As promised I was rewarded with a much coveted new Blue Goldfish, a packet of Dreamies and a container of luxury prawns prepared especially for felines of sophisticated and refined tastes.  Mitsie turned her nose up at the one offered to her.  Enough said about her background.  I must say that I was rather disappointed with the Blue Goldfish as it took me less time to rip it open than it took Masar to race one and a half miles at Epsom but the contents were good quality.

I mentioned that this disappointment had been ‘ameliorated’.  Although very pleased with these rewards I still carry a shadow of disappointment that there delivery was somewhat delayed.

My next selections for the turf will be during the very grand occasion of Royal Ascot which starts on Tuesday 19^th June 2018.  In the meantime I am rather hoping that the special envelope from the Palace was delayed in the post and will arrive over the next few days to eredicate that lingering disappointment.