From a curious David Ashforth to a £3m coup, it's the best racing reads of 2022

Oddballs and anomalies make up the most delightful rogues' gallery

Ashforth's Curiosities of Horseracing, by David Ashforth
£20 hardback, published by Merlin Unwin Books

The biggest, perhaps only, disappointment with this book is that the author himself, one of the greatest curiosities horserace writing has ever known, doesn't warrant his own chapter among the assortment of oddballs and anomalies he chronicles.

David Ashforth is a reformed schoolteacher who took refuge at The Sporting Life and spent many, but too few, years flicking brilliant and barmy journalism at us while we wondered why nobody had done it like this before.

Although now largely retired and white of beard, he remains a true racing original with an eye for the absurd, so it's no surprise that what he treats us to is less of a history lesson and more of a celebration of the ways in which our sport embraces, nurtures and even helps to create a world that's as odd as it is inspiring.

Of course, this being Ashforth, his heroes are regularly of the roguish, if not quite irredeemable, variety, and there often isn't a happy ending tied in a neat bow. The aim of the collection, he explains, is to "leave you with a benevolent view of an intriguing sport, if you don't have one already", but he's not prepared to sugarcoat the intrigue to swell racing's fan club.

Thus, we quickly find out that 'Lucky' Joe Griffin, the man who funded the ownership of two Grand National winners with a fortune made on mincemeat, was anything but lucky once his luck had run out. He went from flying in asparagus from France to titillate his guests at a lavish dinner celebrating the Aintree triumph of Early Mist, to persistently perjuring himself at his own bankruptcy hearing just two years later.

Joe was a liar, a fraudster and, eventually, a pauper, whose "belief in his luck was almost pathological", but Ashforth can't disguise a sneaking sympathy, even a whiff of regard, for a man who spread so much joy before "slithering down the slope to ruin and disgrace". That's Ashforth all over: the champion of the curiosity, for better or worse.

If the tales are well chosen, then the writing of them is everything one has come to expect from the irreverent wordsmith. Take the story of one less roguish, but equally fascinating, character, Jack Berry, the former top trainer and now charitable fundraising MBE, described as "what used to be called 'the salt of the earth'", with reference to the rather dry wisdom of Matthew 5:13.

As Ashforth puts it: "If PG Wodehouse had written the Bible, it would have been much funnier and Jack would have been described, more satisfactorily, as 'a good egg', indisputably a good egg."

All of which is a precursor to a description of Berry's riding career as "an exciting competition to see whether he could win more races than he broke bones. It was a close thing, but, to his great credit, he did." But only by 47-46.

I could go on, although not exhaustively, because I haven't finished the book. I'm taking Ashforth's advice, keeping it on my bedside table, ready to "dip in and dip out" of a collection arranged by theme but united by oddity.

"If you get bored with one, try another," he suggests. "Eventually the law of averages should come to your rescue."

As yet, the ratio of delicious to dull is tilted very much in favour of the reader.
Peter Thomas

Click here to buy Ashforth's Curiosities of Horseracing

A magnificently crafted ode to another glorious year of racing

Racing Post Annual 2023, edited by Nick Pulford
£19.99 hardback, published by Pitch Publishing

It's always one of my favourite days of the year when the doorbell rings and it's the latest edition of the Racing Post Annual being delivered.

Now in its 12th year, the annual has become a staple of my winter reading and, no doubt, the Christmas stockings of many big racing fans. I'm happy to report that this year's offering, expertly pulled together as always by editor Nick Pulford, is another gem.

Indeed, it is so good that it presents something of a dilemma. I'm supposed to pick out one of the articles to run as an extract in the Racing Post. I can't remember finding it so hard to choose and you'll understand when you have your own copy. I'm certainly spoilt for choice.

The shortlist is currently three. Influenced slightly by the time of year, all three wonderful articles relate to jump racing.

In the order in which they are presented in the annual, the first is Pulford's own article on the wonderful battle between Shishkin and Energumene in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot, a race that became "an instant classic" in the words of the author.

Pulford paints a magnificent picture of the whole day at Ascot and, before that, from the cynicism that the confrontation would even take place, through the angst that goes with the anticipation of such clashes, to the thrill of then witnessing something so rare and special.

Of course, as Pulford says, not all head-to-heads actually materialise. In fact, you can usually rely on one or even both protagonists to underperform. That was what transpired in the race that plays a big part in the second article on my shortlist, yet Bob Olinger's disappointing display merits only a footnote in the story of Galopin Des Champs's heartbreaking final-fence exit in the Turners Novices' Chase at last season's Cheltenham Festival.

David Jennings is at the helm of this one and is keen to look forward as well as back. St Patrick's Day 2023 is the date in David's mind, when Galopin Des Champs will have the chance to put his Turners torment behind him when back at Cheltenham for the Gold Cup. David reminds us not just how good he was at the festival but goes back to his extraordinary chase debut – the best of the modern era according to Racing Post Ratings – and the words of his trainer Willie Mullins: "That was just something else."

St Patrick's Day 2022 was one hell of a party at Cheltenham, in particular for one group of owners whose pride and joy is the subject of the third article on the shortlist. Flooring Porter's second successive Stayers' Hurdle win sparked wild scenes of celebration, again brilliantly brought to life by Pulford.

This jumps focus doesn't in any way mean that Flat fans are short-changed. The first three articles in the annual recall a trio of superstars of the summer in Baaeed, Alpinista and Desert Crown, with Lee Mottershead's words on how Baaeed became an all-time great a particular joy to read. All the star names of 2022, including Highfield Princess, Kyprios and Trueshan on the Flat and Constitution Hill, Honeysuckle and A Plus Tard over jumps, are given proper prominence.

But so, too, are the tough reads, remembering the tragic death of Jack de Bromhead and the war in Ukraine, with Jonathan Harding recalling his part in racing's aid mission.

Whether designed to make you smile or make you cry, what every page has in common is that it is beautifully crafted and presented using all the very best racing photos of the year, doing justice to the wonderful words of the Racing Post's finest writers.
Dylan Hill

Click here to buy the Racing Post Annual

You'll remember this inspirational story - but you won't know the scale of drama

Only Heroes And Horses, by Natalie O'Rourke
£9.99 paperback, published by Little, Brown Book Group

There's an inscription on the wall in chalk at Park Lane Stables: "It's what you can do that counts." It's pretty good as inspiring mottos go. But if you want the ultimate inspiration, you can do no better than this tale of the stable's astonishing survival by its founder Natalie O'Rourke.

You might remember Park Lane Stables, an urban riding school in south-west London that provides opportunities for children from less privileged backgrounds, and the disabled, from a fundraising campaign during 2021 which gripped not just the racing world but even went global.

Park Lane faced an uncertain future after their landlord informed them on December 31, 2020 that he was selling the property and they would have to leave.

O'Rourke needed to raise £1 million by the end of February to buy the property and began a crowdfunding campaign on New Year's Day that gained incredible traction when the story was aired on BBC and ITV's breakfast programmes.

With the help of celebrities such as Rob Brydon, the campaign raised £1.3m, yet even then the sale proved complicated and O'Rourke was temporarily evicted before finally agreeing a sale and moving back to Park Lane in December 2021.

Natalie O'Rourke: spotted supporting Brentford with son WoodyCredit: Getty Images / Alex Pantling

Having spoken to O'Rourke for an article in the Racing Post after Park Lane's survival, I felt I knew the story better than most; but even I could not have envisaged the highs, lows, drama and tragic tales revealed in this book which intertwined within their near-impossible mission.

Although it's told through the eyes of O'Rourke, who provides a fascinating tour of life at the heart of this extraordinary yard, this is everyone's story: from husband David, their children Alice and Woody, to all the wonderful stable workers and, of course, the ponies.

O'Rourke was infatuated by horses from the moment her dad paid 50p for her to have a pony ride at her school fete in Birmingham. It was not until her thirties that she could step on the path to owning stables, when she quit her orthodontist reception job and moved to the now-famed yard in Teddington.

The tale was nearly over before it began as her former husband left for another woman, and a fire ravaged her cottage in the early days, when she had to earn her keep working at a farm in Esher.

But the way O'Rourke responds to these setbacks shows the determination never to be defeated that ultimately defines her story; whether that be the birth of her children – Woody was born with Down's syndrome – helping a severely autistic child so much that his first word was "horse", a tragic death or, of course, the battle for the stable's survival.

O'Rourke describes that fight as "all or nothing" and the chapters describing how it was won are real page-turners as you anxiously flick through to see just how they did it.

While Brydon is the name that might stand out to most people, for racing fans the vital role of top broadcaster Nick Luck is a revelation. Indeed, O'Rourke herself describes Luck as the person who gave the campaign its "lucky break".

This outstanding book reads less like a memoir and more of a near 300-page source of inspiration, showing that dreams can still come true even at the worst of times.

It is fuelled by passion and love not just for the horses but for some of the less fortunate members of society, and is a worthy addition to this royal-acclaimed, award-winning charity's fairytale.
Matt Rennie

A wonderful novel about an extraordinary real-life racehorse – and so much more

Horse, by Geraldine Brooks
£18.99 hardback, published by Little, Brown Book Group

This historical novel begins with the simple discovery of a discarded painting and from this point Pulitzer Prize winner Geraldine Brooks carefully intertwines three stories focused on a legendary racehorse, one "so handsome that the best equestrian artists vied to paint him".

We are first introduced to Theo, a Nigerian-American art historian with an interest in equines and the Antebellum South who stumbles across an oil painting of a white-socked horse in Washington DC. The horse in question is Lexington, one of racing's most prolific sires.

Set in 2019, the modern-day narrative grows from Theo's romantic relationship with Jess, a Smithsonian scientist. While Theo attempts to uncover the true history of unsung black horsemen, Jess studies Lexington's bones after they are recovered from a dusty old attic.

Brooks moves seamlessly between different times and places, and another strand of the novel is set in 1950s New York. It follows an edgy gallery owner called Martha Jackson, who becomes similarly obsessed with a painting of Lexington with mysterious provenance.

The story following Lexington's racing career is the driving force of the novel, which flicks between his record-breaking career on the track and afterlife in art. The link is provided by an itinerant young artist who makes his living painting racehorses in 1850s Kentucky.

A member of the racing press, the artist socialises with mega-rich owners (and slave owners) but is more comfortable with Jarret, the enslaved young groom who forms a bond with Lexington as a foal that carries the horse to record-setting wins across the south. His is a turbulent yet important tale, highlighting the too often forgotten contribution of black horsemen to the burgeoning US racing industry.

The attention to historical details is impressive, but what stands out most is the characterisation of Jarret. When Lexington is sold, Jarret is sold with him and, while the horse goes from strength to strength, so too does his groom. They are viewed as property and, while it is not enough to earn his freedom, Jarret develops as an individual.

This enables him to skirt around the atrocities faced by other slaves for the duration of the novel but, after Lexington is sold, there is a brief period when Jarret finds himself picking cotton at a plantation, which shows how easily his life as a groom could be taken from him.

The racecourse scenes are particularly evocative and the glamour of carriages arriving with well-dressed ladies and old-fashioned wagers between country gentlemen is juxtaposed against the cut and thrust of the races in which Lexington's unrivalled power is well conveyed.

While taking a degree of creative licence, Brooks stays fairly true to the historical detail. Lexington was known as the best racehorse of his day and was retired due to poor eyesight before being crowned top sire in the US 16 times. His famous offspring include Preakness.

The novel is far from reliant on racing, though, and peaks with the outbreak of the civil war. On one perilous night, Jarret is forced to make gut-wrenching decisions to survive and protect Lexington.

This imaginative work of fiction is wonderfully written and skilfully structured. The characters are easy to connect with too, although Martha, Theo and Jess might have been developed a bit more, and the overall narrative is impactful and engages the reader throughout.

Yes, this is a novel about a legendary racehorse, but it offers much more than that. It highlights the injustice of slavery, emphasises the power of art and ends with a harsh reminder of the inequality that still exists more than 100 years after Jarret's extraordinary life story.
Jonathan Harding

Rooney, rings and red squirrels: the tale of the ultimate Scoop6 syndicate

£3 million in 3 Weeks – The Squirrel Syndicate: A Gambler's Tale, by Richard Brocklebank and Charles Yates
£19.99 hardback, published by The Conrad Press Ltd

What do Wayne and Coleen Rooney, an engagement ring and a red squirrel forest on the outskirts of Liverpool have in common? The answer is the birth of a betting syndicate which became one of the most renowned Scoop6 winners.

Punter Richard Brocklebank and tabloid journalist Charles Yates, two big Scoop6 players, had met in 2003 but were brought together again in remarkable circumstances the following year after a young Coleen McLoughlin, engaged to be married to the superstar footballer, furiously threw her engagement ring into dense undergrowth in a forest near the couple's home.

Brocklebank thought he had found the ring and, while it didn't turn out to be the right one, it did get him a meeting with a group of Sun journalists – one of whom was Yates – tasked with hunting down the missing item.

Over a pint and a basket of chicken, Brocklebank decided to use the publicity for his hunt to find the six other winning Scoop6 ticket-holders chasing a £375,000 bonus at Glorious Goodwood. Yates suggested he should turn up at the track in a squirrel suit, which Brocklebank did.

Thus the Squirrel Syndicate was formed and, with it, a new way of targeting the Scoop6 bonus. Whenever Brocklebank, Yates or a handful of other regular Scoop6 players had a winning ticket, they would set about getting the other winners on board to increase all their chances of landing the bonus. The approach has paid handsome dividends.

Malt Or Mash (right) wins the November Handicap in 2007Credit: Edward Whitaker

The book provides fascinating insight into how the Squirrel Syndicate plundered one of the sport's most famous bets on regular occasions. There is no beating around the bush by Brocklebank and Yates, who throw the reader straight into that magical autumn of 2007 that culminated in Malt Or Mash's November Handicap victory with £3 million won.

Even better would follow two years later, with a record-breaking £3.1m Scoop6 bonus landed on Midlands Grand National day – the trusty squirrel suit in tow, of course.

But it is not just a brag fest about their winnings; what stands out is the real human element to punting through some of the people with whom Brocklebank and Yates join forces.

From Bob Blackhurst's life-changing win at Uttoxeter with the group just three weeks after open-heart surgery to a single mother using nice names to win a bet that allowed her to buy herself and her children a new house, the wonderful tales – and one tragic one – come thick and fast.

Those stories are the crux of the book. Yes, most of the syndicate are expert gamblers in it to win it and do rub shoulders with A-list celebrities and pro punters, but the casual punters at the heart of the sport are just as vital to their success.

Everyone can win – perhaps even the syndicate's beloved squirrel in the Mascot Grand National, although you'll have to read the book to find out whether that particular gamble paid off.

It is sure to be a hit with all racing fans and, if you do like a bet, who knows, it could even be your guide to a fortune.
Matt Rennie

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