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This bedside book of racing stories, anecdotes, reminiscences, poems and observations is as varied and rich as the racing scene itself. Many of the great names of racing, past and present, are included, as well as others that are less expected: Jeffrey Bernard, Jack Leach, Dick Francis, Graham Greene, Evelyn Waugh, Benjamin Disraeli, David Ashforth, Anthony Trollope, Siegfried Sassoon, Rudyard Kipling, Philip Larkin, Emile Zola, and more. The six sections in the book (and 212 pages) encompass Horses, Owners, Trainers, Jockeys, the Players and the great racing Festivals. The author, Julian Bedford, has been a journalist in racing and foreign affairs for the past ten years alternating stints with Sporting Life with stretches for Reuters and BBC World Service in Central and Eastern Africa. Most interesting is the reproduction of a letter from Thomas Darley to his brother in 1703 regarding the purchase of an arab stallion which for the next 20 years mingled his hot blooded genes into the native english stock. The result the thoroughbred and the stallion is the forefather of most of today's racehorses. There is a lovely piece from John Hislop's book about Brigadier Gerard when he first had him and the promise he showed before racing. He apparantly had a mischievous habit of putting his jockeys on the ground but having done it once was then happy and he always solely reserved it for the licensed jockeys. One super story about Dick Francis riding an absolute nutcase of a horse called North Face, the horse started at a reasonable canter, trying to remove the jockey at every opportunity and was way behind the rest of the field. Dick was cussing the horse almost with every breath. The horse then decided to race and absolutely flew around the rest of the trip catching the leader a few strides from home. All in all, an entertaining read. There is something for everyone here. Published by Colt books £18.95 hardback
Available from Tindalls Books +44 (0) 1638 561760
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Racing, the most colourful of sports, holds many in its embrace. Some can't resist it because they love horses, others because they own horses, ride or train horses, and of course a huge number enjoy the betting.
