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What are peoples favourite racing books. It could be anything on the subject, autobiogarphy, biography, history of horses or races or reference books it would be interesting to know peoples thoughts. Also were are the best racing bookshops I know you can get a lot of stuff off amazon and ebay which to fair can be a lot cheaper, but It is also good looking round a specialist bookshop. Were are the best ones.
A Year At The Races by Jane Smiley. It looks at horses from a really interesting psychological perspective as well as being an interesting story about a year in the life of a small American racehorse owner.
I have amassed a sizeable collection to date. Depends on what sort of book/stories you enjoy reading. I really liked The Master of Manton and the Druids Lodge Confederacy by Paul Mathieu.
A Licence to Print Money is also a good read, but a little dated now. Been re-reading it this week, brings back some good memories of racing during the period. Not so many characters on course now (still a few though).
Gary Wiltshire "winning it back" just for the scene in the betting shop, hilarious.
Technically, any book by Beyer, Davidowits, Brohammer, Ainslie.
Can’t really recommend any decent British alternatives. Not on the same level. People go on about Mordin, but America is the speed, pace and handicapping kings. (they are on another level) Racing in general is on another level in the USA, it feels like when reading these. Very inspiring.
"A bloody Good Winner" By Dave Nevison is worth the read. (bio)
If you want to actually see and touch the books before you buy, High Stakes Bookshop near Euston/King’s Cross in London has a fair selection about racing but specialises in books about gambling.
For books solely about racing, Tindalls in Newmarket High Street; RE & GB Way near Newmarket – but check with them when they’re open; Marlborough Books, which trades at assorted courses in the south and west and sometimes further afield; and the two bookstalls run on racedays by the Suttons in the Members’ Stand at Newbury and at Cheltenham. There may be others in the north that I don’t know about.
Online, the Ways and browzers.co.uk have large second-hand catalogues. Perusing them you realise what a vast number of books have been written about racing.
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Not by a Long Shot: A Season at a Hard Luck Horse Track
by T.D. Thornton. Equal parts a funny look at racetrack people and a sad assessment of the modern state of American racing. Suffolk Downs (known to Bostonians as "Sufferin’ Downs") has gone even further downhill since the author was there. Now they don’t even have the money to hold the MassCap.
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Wink: The Incredible Life and Epic Journey of Jimmy Winkfield
by Ed Hotaling. They need to make a movie about this guy.
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Crazy Good: The True Story of Dan Patch, the Most Famous Horse in America
by Charles Leerhsen. Dan Patch, a pacer, was the first sports celebrity, human or equine, in America. This book is seriously a must-read.
Horsetrader: Robert Sangster and the Rise and Fall of the Sport of Kings by Patrick Robinson and Nick Robinson; absolutely riveting read IMO.
Oh, and A Fine Place to Daydream: A Classic Story of the National Hunt by Bill Barich. Nice light read if you like Cheltenham, I think they have it in Waterstones on the High Street.
As I have stated on threads like this before;
Breeding the Racehorse by Federico Tesio.
Also any book covering the golden age of 1880-1914, preferably first hand accounts are well worth reading.
Aside from Federico Tesio’s book, the best I’ve read are: Men And Horses I Have Known by George Lambton, Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand, and Sods I HAve Cut On The Turf by JAck Leach.
A Year At The Races by Jane Smiley. It looks at horses from a really interesting psychological perspective as well as being an interesting story about a year in the life of a small American racehorse owner.
I have an unread copy of this from a gift and was thinking of putting it up as a prize for a tipping comp for this year’s Breeders Cup meeting if anyone is after a copy.
I did like Sea Biscuit myself.
It’s great seeing everyone’s opinions. Personally I think Richard Dunwoodys Obsessed is brilliant It gives a great insight into his life and is very honest. The timeform annuals are fantastic in terms of detail and information and the Chris Pitt books are great aswell especially his Grand National one Go Down To The Beaten.
My favourites are:
"Breeding the Racehorse" by Tesio
"Vincent O’Brien" by Jacqueline O’Brien and Ivor HerbertAnother favourite is "You win some you lose some" about Bill Marshall.
Jenny Pitman’s autobiography is one of the best books i have ever read. Seriously recommend it.
Other books i recommend are…
Jonjo O’Neill’s autobiography
‘Born Lucky’ John Francome’s autobiography
Richard Pitman ‘Good Horses Make Good Jockeys’
‘The Wayward Lad’ Graham Bradley’s autobiography (another amazing read)
Champion’s Story
‘Scu’ Peter Scudamore’s autobiography
‘National Hero’s’ The Aintree Legend – A great book that outlines every Grand National from the beginning to 1998
‘The Grand National’ by John Welcome – Brilliant fictional tale based around… guess what?
Go Down to the Beaten by Chris Pitt – Again just a fascinating readMichael Tanner’s " The Champion Hurdle – from Blaris to Istabraq " is a constant bedside companion, as is Barnes/Alper’s " The Persian War Story " though the style is rather dated now. Same applies to Jonathan Powell’s "Monksfield".
The Patrick Veitch tome is worth a read, as is Barney Curley’s "Giving A Little Back " . A special mention goes to David Ashforth’s " Hitting The Turf " if only for his account of Knockroe
et al
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Getting away from non-fiction, how great that it seems Felix Francis can knock out a good racing background tale to carry on Dick’s legacy.
But what a shame that Jenny Pitman’s writing phase did not last longer. I enjoyed her novels. And it looks like John Francome has run out of plot ideas. I really hope this is only temporary. He’s as good as, if not better, than dear old Dick Francis.
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