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Books > Sport & Leisure > Sports & outdoor recreation > Equestrian & animal sports > Horse racing
Edited by one of the Racing Post's long-standing subeditors, the
ever-popular Racing Post Guide to the Jumps is one of the key tools
for every racing enthusiast and punter to look ahead to the
upcoming National Hunt season. It includes exclusive interviews
with the top jumps trainers, both in the UK and Ireland, in which
they discuss their teams and plans for their most exciting horses.
It profiles 250 horses who are likely to be key players throughout
the season and should be worth following. Plus it also unearths
some likely unexposed 'dark horses' to follow that may be less well
known. It also contains both Topspeed and Racing Post ratings. In
full colour throughout, it is the one book that every jumps racing
enthusiast should have.
A quirky collection of true stories from the stranger side of horse
racing, featuring horse-swapping skulduggery, battling jockeys and
a horse that may or may not have beaten a train. Extraordinary but
true stories from over 150 years of racing. This hilarious,
sideways look at horse racing vividly recounts many of the
strangest moments and oddest incidents from over 150 years of the
sport's history. Andrew Ward recalls the time when spectators
mounted two fallen horses and rode them to second and third places;
the race which had to be re-run because the judge wasn't in his box
at the finish; the ultrasonic binoculars that allegedly stunned a
horse and unseated a jockey at Ascot, and many more. A totally
original, offbeat collection of extraordinary but true stories,
Horse-Racing's Strangest Races will be a delight to all lovers of
the turf. Word count: 60,000
Postcards from the World of Horse Racing: Days Out on the Global
Racing Road is the new book by international-racing expert Nicholas
Godfrey. In a series of evocative, informative pieces from around
the racing world, Godfrey visits 20 different countries on six
continents, from unforgettable high-profile events at major
racecourses - such as the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs or the
Dubai World Cup at billion-dollar Meydan - to racing venues on the
road less travelled - like Morocco, Uruguay and Switzerland, where
they race on a frozen lake in St Moritz. Among those he encounters
are America's mighty mare Zenyatta, Triple Crown hero American
Pharoah and Black Caviar, the 'Wonder from Down Under'. As well as
reliving his experiences, Godfrey prefaces each postcard with a
how-to guide for those wishing to follow in his footsteps.
Illustrated with a range of colour photographs, the book also
features a foreword by Brough Scott, one of the most respected
sportswriters in the business.
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Frankie
(Hardcover)
Brough Scott
1
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R660
R556
Discovery Miles 5 560
Save R104 (16%)
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Ships in 12 - 17 working days
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When Frankie Dettori stormed to victory on Golden Horn in the 2015
Derby, the effervescent Italian jockey was writing yet another
extraordinary chapter in a remarkable sporting story. This tribute
to hugely popular sportsman draws on the unique resources of the
Racing Post to chronicle the Dettori career as never before. The
son of a Milanese Classic-winning jockey has been Champion jockey
on three occasions and has ridden such equine superstars as Dubai
Millennium, Lochsong, Lammtarra, Daylami and his first Derby winner
Authorized. He made worldwide headlines when winning every contest
on a seven-race card in September 1996, which made him a household
name. The Dettori story has also had its darker side: surviving a
plane crash in 2000 in which the pilot was killed; a six-month
suspension in December 2012 for contravening racing's drugs rules;
losing the lucrative job as first jockey to Sheikh Mohammed's
Godolphin operation. But Frankie has always bounced back, and his
next flying dismount is never far away.
In the wake of World War II, as turmoil and chaos were giving way
to a spirit of optimism, Americans were looking for inspiration and
role models showing that it was possible to start from the bottom
and work your way up to the top-and they found it in Stymie, the
failed racehorse plucked from the discard heap by trainer Hirsch
Jacobs. Like Stymie, Jacobs was a commoner in "The Sport of Kings,"
a dirt-poor Brooklyn city slicker who forged an unlikely career as
racing's winningest trainer by buying cheap, unsound nags and
magically transforming them into winners. The $1,500 pittance
Jacobs paid to claim Stymie became history's biggest bargain as the
ultimate iron horse went on to run a whopping 131 races and win 25
stakes, becoming the first Thoroughbred ever to earn more than
$900,000. The Cinderella champion nicknamed "The People's Horse"
captivated the masses with his rousing charge-from-behind stretch
runs, his gritty blue-collar work ethic, and his rags-to-riches
success story. In a golden age when horse racing rivaled baseball
and boxing as America's most popular pastime, he was every bit as
inspiring a sports hero as Joe DiMaggio and Joe Louis. Taking
readers on a crowd-pleasing ride with Stymie and Jacobs, Out of the
Clouds -- the winner of the Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award -- unwinds a
real-life Horatio Alger tale of a dauntless team and its
working-class fans who lived vicariously through the stouthearted
little colt they embraced as their own.
HEALY RACING photography and Richard Pugh share their passion and
knowledge of Ireland's unique point-to-point horse racing scene.
Steeplechasing began in Ireland in 1752. Today the sport of point
to pointing is thriving as a favourite rural pursuit and is for
many their first experience of horse racing. At hundreds of pop-up
races around the country dramas are played out, and horses, such as
Best Mate and Honeysuckle, and riders, including Derek O'Connor,
Jamie Codd, Davy Russell and Rachael Blackmore, begin their
glittering careers. THE ORIGINS OF PTP * THE COURSES COUNTRYWIDE *
THE HORSES * THE RIDERS * THE HANDLERS * THE GRASSROOTS OF IRISH
RACING
Is this the right book for me? Do you want to make smart choices
and win at the track? Whether you are a novice better or an
experienced punter, it has all the tips and advice to help you spot
a winner and enjoy this popular national pastime. This new edition
has been been brought right up-to-date with interactive features.
It explains not only such basics as the form and the nature of the
races, but will also explain in full where to bet, how to bet, and
how to do so successfully. It offers full and unique coverage of
the latest phenomena, such as internet betting, online betting
exchanges and spread betting. It also gives you vital tips in
addition to providing practical information on how to avoid credit
card fraud and how to make a successful selection. Back a Winning
Horse includes: Chapter 1: Horse racing Origins of horse racing
Thoroughbred horses Types of racing Grading of racing Handicaps
Conditional races Gambling on horse racing A day at the races
Owning a racehorse Racing around the world Chapter 2: Racecourse
betting On-course bookmakers Tote betting Pari-mutuel Bookmaking
Understanding the odds Factors affecting prices Placing a tote bet
Chapter 3: Betting shops Types of price Disadvantages of using a
betting shop Writing a bet Bookmakers' rules Types of bet Chapter
4: Remote betting Internet betting Types of internet betting Types
of bet How bets are matched Ordering odds How to bet Spread betting
Playing safe Telephone betting Chapter 5: Making your selection
Factors you can assess Factors you cannot assess Gathering
information Systems Effect of the draw at British and Irish
racecourses Chapter 6: Betting tips Be aware of rules Appreciate
your chances of winnin How bookmakers make a profit Keep records of
your gambling Set a budget Staying in control Take account of all
costs Be selective Take your time Maximize returns Be realistic How
bookmakers try to make you spend more money Ground Type of race
Betting on handicap races Number of runners Backing favourites Take
the best price Making the best bet Betting each way Bets to avoid
Placing large bets Big winners Steamers Collecting winnings Betting
exchanges Hedging Dutching Syndicate betting Chapter 7: Checking
results and calculating winnings Checking results Disputes with
bookmakers Calculating winnings Using a ready reckoner Learn
effortlessly with a new easy-to-read page design and interactive
features: Not got much time? One, five and ten-minute introductions
to key principles to get you started. Author insights Lots of
instant help with common problems and quick tips for success, based
on the author's many years of experience. Test yourself Tests in
the book and online to keep track of your progress. Extend your
knowledge Extra online articles to give you a richer understanding
of the subject. Five things to remember Quick refreshers to help
you remember the key facts. Try this Innovative exercises
illustrate what you've learnt and how to use it.
Pat Smullen was one of the greatest Irish jockeys ever. In a career
laden with success, his position as one of the country's best ever
flat jockeys was long established. And yet, despite being a
nine-time champion jockey, his humility defined him. It was this
strength of character that sustained him when, in March 2018, Pat
was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. There was never any
self-pity. He just dealt with it. And more than that, he brought it
centre stage: raising funds and awareness, and channelling his
energies into helping others. Pat was a champion in all aspects of
life, no matter what setbacks were thrown at him. Tragically, his
life was cut short far too early in September 2020. Written in the
months before his death, with the assistance of Donn McClean and
completed by Pat's wife, Frances Crowley, Champion is the
inspirational story of the jockey whose legacy lives on. 'From
incredible highs to devastating lows, the championship battles and
mental turmoil, the Derby winners and cancer heartbreak, Pat has
left more than a legacy. Read this and you will agree with me - he
is iconic.' Ruby Walsh 'Pat tells his story with the same honesty
and humility that defined him as a person. He was a remarkable man
and his is a compelling story.' Sir Anthony Mccoy 'Pat was an
amazing man, a man of dignity who went about life with a smile on
his face. He is an example to all of us.' Frankie Dettori
'Inspiring, heart-breaking and unforgettable.' Brough Scott
Drawing on the unique resources of the Racing Post, the tale of one
of the sport's most popular racehorses is told. Since almost
literally bursting onto the scene in the 2010 Champion Bumper at
Cheltenham, when an unconsidered 40/1 shot, he hasn't left the
Racing public's affections. Charismatic connections have helped
colour the story but it is the achievement on the racecourse, the
toughness in battle and the willingness to do it all over again,
year in year out, even after that crunching, "million pound fall"
in the 2016 Gold Cup. that has garnered this horse such a
remarkable following. With the blessing and help of the Bishops
(Cue Card's owners), plus the most heartfelt work of the Racing
Post's formidable writers through the years, a fitting tribute is
produced to a really special horse.
At one point in her life, Dorothy Paget was described by journalist
Quintin Gilbey, as `so much in the public eye that she became,
apart from royalty, the best-known woman in the land.' Synonymous
with Golden Miller, perhaps the greatest racehorse ever to jump a
fence, Paget ploughed fortunes into racing and breeding, buying -
despite never visiting - the Ballymacoll Stud in Ireland. She also
happened to be the biggest gambler ever to walk the turf. Living an
eccentric lifestyle, she would spend most of the day in bed and
rise at night, placing bets with bookmakers and their staff,
specifically employed for these late night duties. She was even
allowed to place bets on races that had already been run the
previous day. This long overdue telling of the life of an
extraordinary, larger-than-life character is now available in
paperback.
'The incredible story of the man who went from trying to win the
Grand National to playing a key role in co-ordinating the French
Resistance.' Daily Express An English racehorse trainer and horse
dealer's son, John Goldsmith was born and brought up in Paris and
spoke fluent French. In 1942 he was recruited in to the legendary
Special Operations Executive, or SOE, and dropped three times
behind enemy lines. In 1943 he organised the escape of a French air
force general across the Pyrenees but a few months later he was
caught by the Gestapo in Paris only to engineer his own getaway
from a locked third floor hotel room. By the end of the war he had
been awarded the DSO, MC, Croix de Guerre and Legion d'Honneur.
Resuming his peacetime occupation in 1946 Goldsmith was sent
numerous French racehorses to train. He found uncanny similarities
between the secret agent's milieu and the black market world of
Britain's post war racetracks and, in partnership with a high
stakes Mayfair bookie, he orchestrated some of the most audacious
betting coups in racing history.
Gary Witheford is one of the country's leading 'horse whisperers'
and the man who famously broke a zebra to prove that all flight
animals react in a similar way to human handling. If Horses Could
Talk tells Gary's story through the prism of the horses and animals
that have most affected his life. The book centres around the
animals with inspiring and uplifting stories that will amuse and
fascinate, interwoven with Gary's remarkable, and in parts,
shocking life story.
A new, fully authorised biography of the most successful trainer in
British horse racing history. In the stratified and often secretive
world of racehorse training, Mark Johnston has always been
different: forthright, combative, provocative, and candid - a man
who delights in questioning convention. Over more than three
decades, he has gone from being a vet from a thoroughly
working-class Scottish background to, mathematically, the most
successful trainer in the history of British horse racing. In this
new, fully authorised biography, acclaimed author Nick Townsend
provides a unique insight into the world of Mark Johnston and his
phenomenally successful operation. With unparalleled access to Mark
and those closest to him, Mark Johnston: Phenomenon will dig into
his storied career, his strong and passionate views on the sport of
horse racing, and how he's planning for the future in unprecedented
times, offering a fascinating portrait of one of horse racing's
most singular figures.
Now in its 58th year, this popular guide to Jumps racing summarises
the prospects of 100 steeplechasers and hurdlers who Raceform's
expert race-readers expect to do particularly well in the coming
2019-2020 season. The 2018-2019 edition pinpointed 18 Grade 1
winners including: Al Boum Photo - Cheltenham Gold Cup. Altior -
Tingle Creek Chase, Clarence House Chase, Queen Mother Champion
Chase, Celebration Chase. Apple's Jade - Hatton's Grace Hurdle,
Christmas Hurdle, Irish Champion Hurdle. Buveur D'Air - Fighting
Fifth Hurdle. Delta Work - Drinmore Chase, Neville Hotels Novices'
Chase. Duc Des Genievres - Racing Post Arkle Chase. If The Cap Fits
- Ryanair Stayers' Hurdle. Kalashnikov - Manifesto Novices' Chase.
Road To Respect - JWine.com Champion Chase. Supasundae - Aintree
Hurdle. Topofthegame - RSA Novices' Chase. Big Priced winners
chosen included: William Henry - 28/1, Al Boum Photo 12/1,
Supasundae 15/2, Sharp Response and If The Cap Fits 7/1
Racing Post Guide to the Jumps includes exclusive, extended trainer
interviews, profiles of over 250 horses to run during 2019-20,
specialist selections for horses to follow, dark horses unearthed
and set to shine and Topspeed and Racing Post Ratings.
One great stable: Manton. Four training legends: Alec Taylor, his
son, 'Young' Alec, Joe Lawson and George Todd. Here are their
stories, from the Taylors' wars with the touts to Todd's defiance
of the stewards. From the 43 classic winners to Todd's selling
platers. Along the way, meet some of the grand eccentrics of the
English Turf: the Duchess of Montrose, who hissed at a Royal
procession; George Payne, who gambled away fortunes and tried to
horsewhip a QC; and Lord Glasgow, whose hotel bill included a
waiter's broken leg. Here are the men who guided Manton between the
wars. Here too are the gambles, led by the Lincoln winner that paid
for Manton, in cash, in a paper bag. The Masters of Manton is a
wide-angle view of the horses, trainers, owners, jockeys and lads
who peopled the Marlborough Downs between Old Alec Taylor building
the yard in 1870 and George Todd's death in 1974.
Each year on the first Saturday in May, the world turns its
attention to the twin spires of Churchill Downs for the high-stakes
excitement of the "greatest two minutes in sports," the Kentucky
Derby. No American sporting event can claim the history, tradition,
or pageantry that the Kentucky Derby holds. For more than 130
years, spectators have been fascinated by the magnificent horses
that run the Louisville track. Thoroughbreds such as Secretariat
and Barbaro have earned instant international fame, along with
jockeys such as Isaac Murphy, Ron Turcotte, and Calvin Borel. The
Kentucky Derby: How the Run for the Roses Became America's Premier
Sporting Event calls this great tradition to post and illuminates
its history and culture. Rising from its humble beginnings as an
American variation of England's Epsom Derby, the Kentucky Derby
became a centerpiece of American sports and the racing industry,
confirming Kentucky's status as the Horse Capital of the World.
James C. Nicholson argues that the Derby, at its essence, is a
celebration of a place, existing as a connection between Kentucky's
mythic past and modern society. The Derby is more than just a horse
race -- it is an experience enhanced by familiar traditions, icons,
and images that help Derby fans to understand Kentucky and define
themselves as Americans. Today the Kentucky Derby continues to
attract international attention from royalty, celebrities, racing
fans, and those who simply enjoy an icy mint julep, a fabulous hat,
and a wager on who will make it to the winner's circle. Nicholson
provides an intriguing and thorough history of the Kentucky Derby,
examining the tradition, spectacle, culture, and evolution of the
Kentucky Derby -- the brightest jewel of the Triple Crown.
__________________ The bookies always win. But one man has been
proving them wrong for four decades. In the summer of 1975 Barney
Curley, a fearless and renowned gambler, masterminded one of the
most spectacular gambles of all time with a racehorse called Yellow
Sam. With a meticulous, entirely legal plan involving dozens of
people, perfectly timed phone calls, sealed orders and months of
preparation, Curley and Yellow Sam beat the bookmakers and cost
them millions. They said that it could never happen again. But in
May 2010, thirty-five years after his first coup, Curley staged the
ultimate multi-million-pound-winning sequel. The Sure Thing tells
the complete story of how he managed to organise the biggest gamble
in racing history - and how he then followed up with yet another
audacious scheme in January 2014.
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