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

Only Heroes And Horses, by Natalie O'Rourke
£16.99, 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 births 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 renowned 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 ongoing fairytale.

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