A stamina-sapping history, but you'll be left full of running

The St Leger – a history of the world's first Classic horserace
Tony Barber
£75, Raceform Books,

At 528 pages it looks like the stamina test of its subject but, in this hugely illuminating, enjoyably in-depth, lavishly expensive, almost forensic examination of the world's oldest Classic, Tony Barber keeps the reader on the bridle, full of running all the way.

In a foreword, Barber – a historian first, a racing fan a short-head second – notes his discovery that there had been no history of the St Leger written for more than a century, and so decided to write one to fill the gap. Consider the gap well filled; Barber has done the job for the next 100 years.