Racing books etc

Desert Orchid

Desert Orchid

Senior Jockey
Joined
Aug 2, 2005
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Mrs O has just showed an upcoming entry at Great Western Auctions in Glasgow ('home' patch of wee Anita from the antuques programmes) in January.

Timeform books and other stuff including the print of 'We Three Kings' (the one I have on my wall at home, as mentioned not long ago).

Guide price £40-60.

They're not mine, honest.

But it would be nice for whoever is selling them to get a decent price for them.
 
"I read a book once - green it were."

But I stopped reading books once I discovered television.

And I stopped watching television when I discovered the internet.
 
I still get a wee twist in my gut when I think about taking all my form books, Flat & NH, going back to the mid-70s, to the local waste recycling centre when I moved house three years ago. :( :sick:
 
My local (quite large) WH Smiths seems no longer stock horse racing books and there's very few at the even bigger Waterstones, although the latter had lots for sports of no interest to me.

I've accumulated quite a few books over the years, including a big pile of Odds On magazine that I bought new in my early years of being into horse racing. Plus some smartsig mags, the first time I tried analyzing the results data myself was via data they sold at one point. Another one I bought sometimes was "The Racing Times"
Theses days there's "Racing Ahead" but I've just never been that big a fan of it.

I just like to browse through all my stuff like that sometimes, my office is heading towards a big reorg so no doubt they'll side track me for a long time.

I did have a fair few Superform annuals but they got incinerated at one point as part of a house move.
 
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I collect racing books. Excluding mags and Timeform etc I have over 100. A good source can be in the book section of charity shops.
 
Off the top of me noggin Barjon:

The Story of Mill Reef: John Oaksey. I was very marginally interested in racing as a young teenager and picked this up at the local library and was hooked on the sport by the finish. I distinctly recall it was the first time I encountered the word 'pugnacious' and I still use it daily. (Cf: Tanlic et al)
Calling the Horses, Peter O'Sullevan and McIlvanny on Horseracing. Two masters of their craft peeling the onion on characters and stories.

More recently 'Centaur' by Declan Murphy. An intriguing story on several levels, interestingly written. Review/Interview with Murphy at the time of its release, below.

www.irishexaminer.com

Declan Murphy - The jockey who read his own obituary

Twenty-three years ago, Limerick jockey Declan Murphy’s skull was so badly fractured in a fall at Haydock Park that his death was confirmed by the Racing Post. Prematurely as it happened, writes Colm Greaves.
www.irishexaminer.com www.irishexaminer.com
 
I enjoyed Nevison's book for pure entertainment purposes

"Gentlemen and Blackguards" was another one I enjoyed.

Thought Mordin's book on speed ratings was good, preferred it to Beyers
 
an capall said:
Off the top of me noggin Barjon:

The Story of Mill Reef: John Oaksey. I was very marginally interested in racing as a young teenager and picked this up at the local library and was hooked on the sport by the finish. I distinctly recall it was the first time I encountered the word 'pugnacious' and I still use it daily. (Cf: Tanlic et al)
Calling the Horses, Peter O'Sullevan and McIlvanny on Horseracing. Two masters of their craft peeling the onion on characters and stories.

More recently 'Centaur' by Declan Murphy. An intriguing story on several levels, interestingly written. Review/Interview with Murphy at the time of its release, below.

www.irishexaminer.com

Declan Murphy - The jockey who read his own obituary

Twenty-three years ago, Limerick jockey Declan Murphy’s skull was so badly fractured in a fall at Haydock Park that his death was confirmed by the Racing Post. Prematurely as it happened, writes Colm Greaves.
www.irishexaminer.com www.irishexaminer.com
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Thanks, that’s a fascinating interview, Colm
 
Calling the horses and Centaur are certainly two I’ve really enjoyed. Would add Henrietta Knight’s The Jumping Game and Alastair Down’s Cheltenham et al to that list
 
(1) The Sure Thing: the greatest coup in horse racing history - Nick Townsend (2014). All about Barney Curley; (2) Captain Mac-Hell - Richard Onslow (1999). Limited edition from Sporting Garland Press, but plenty available secondhand; (3) A Long Time Gone ( on closed racecourses ) - Chris Pitt (1996). I don't think I shall get round to buying Strongholds of Satan by William Morgan on the same topic but in much more detail, and already up to three hefty volumes. (4) The last one is a newish one from last year and still waiting to be read. No Snail - the story of L'Escargot - by David Owen ( another one ) and he previously wrote a book on Foinavon.
 
Any book written by Guy ST John Williams; I just read Gold Cup Immortals, published 20 years ago and the research and information within has me salivating.
He has a great writing style also, with Oliver St John Gogarty as an ancestor he didn't lick it off the ground.
 
edgt said:
Any book written by Guy ST John Williams; I just read Gold Cup Immortals, published 20 years ago and the research and information within has me salivating.
He has a great writing style also, with Oliver St John Gogarty as an ancestor he didn't lick it off the ground.
Click to expand...
Always enjoyed reading his contributions to the Irish Field.
 
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