Following in the tradition of the highly acclaimed 'Favourite Racehorses' published in 1997, Modern Greats brings the story of racing in the Timeform era right up to date. Modern Greats relives the memories of Flat superstars such as Dubai Millennium, Sea The Stars and Black Caviar, as well as jumps heroes like Kauto Star, Best Mate and Moscow Flyer, plus many, many more. Topics covered include the ‘Globetrotters’ on the Flat, looking at the rapid evolution and increasing importance of the international scene, while the jumps has a dedicated Grand National section featuring some of the more memorable winners and the stories that surrounded them.
The recent retirement of Mick Kinane, doyen of flat racing jockeys whose swansong was his 2009 Classic victories on the great Sea the Stars, reminded us once again how many of the greatest jockeys in racing, over jumps as well as on the flat, hail from Ireland. Brian O’Connor is the experienced racing correspondent of the Irish Times, and his survey of the twelve finest jockeys currently riding in Ireland (six on the flat, six National Hunt) was acclaimed in hardback by both the racing press and the Irish media. He interviewed most of the featured jockeys specially for the book, and provides a truly intimate insight into what has made them great race riders, and what inspires their continuing hunger to succeed at the very top. The full list of jockeys covered is: On the Flat: Michael Kinane, John Murtagh, Jamie Spencer, Kieren Fallon, Pat Smullen and Kevin Manning. Over Jumps: Ruby Walsh, Barry Geraghty, Tony McCoy, Paul Carberry, Timmy Murphy and Nina Carberry.
The revealing and honest autobiography of Britain's leading National Hunt trainer. Paul Nicholls is the former jockey who began training in 1991. Gradually he built up a reputation as one of the most astute and successful trainers in the business, with a special knack for getting it right on the big occasions. His depth of resources meant that on a unique occasion at Wincanton in January 2006, he became the first trainer ever to have six winners on a card. But it is for his role as the trainer of horses such as See More Business, Kauto Star and Denman, all of them Cheltenham Gold Cup winners, that he is best known. In this revealing and honest memoir, Champion Trainer Nicholls explains how he got to the top of his sport, and provides a fascinating insight into his methods and to the horses, jockeys and owners that have helped him achieve so much. Packed with insider stories that all race fans will love, and a foreword from Sir Alex Ferguson, this is without doubt the essential racing book for 2011.
Winners: The Horses, The Memories; The Defining Moments documents a host of favourite memories from the world's foremost racing minds. In this collection of interviews, Hugh Cahill uncovers the cherished memories of some of the most prominent figures in Irish horse-racing as they remember eighty of the horses that have featured most significantly in their lives. All the greats are here - Moscow Flyer, Arkle, Synchronised, Flyingbolt, Frankel, Hurricane Fly, Dawn Run, Bobbyjo, Istabraq, Brave Inca, Papillon, Beef or Salmon and Sea the Stars. These are the horses that have shaped horse-racing over the past fifty years and captured hearts around the globe. Beautifully illustrated, Winners: The Horses, the Memories, the Defining Moments includes contributions from Ruby Walsh, A.P. McCoy, J.P. McManus, Willie Mullins, Jessica Harrington, Davy Russell, Paul Carberry and many more. A compelling and heartfelt exploration of what makes these incredible animals so special to the people who knew them best, Winners is a volume to be treasured and an essential book for horse-racing fans everywhere. *Please note that this is an illustrated book and therefore is best viewed on optimal devices*
In 1964, Arkle's first-place finish in the Cheltenham Gold Cup was the first big win by Ireland's most celebrated racehorse: the horse by which all others are measured. Fifty years on from the start of his incredible career - which included wins in the Cheltenham Gold Cup (three times), Irish Grand National, Hennessy Gold Cup, King George VI Chase and Punchestown Gold Cup - Anne Holland looks at Arkle's life and legend through the eyes of those who knew him best . She describes Arkle's career, his incredible wins, and the people involved with him , interviewing many of his connections, including Jim Dreaper, Paddy Woods, Tom Taaffe, sculptor Emma McDermott, the Baker family and others . Arkle was a star - the story goes that he received items of fan mail addressed to 'Himself, Ireland' - and th is is a well-researched and intimate portrait of a legendary horse. Shortlisted for Horse Racing Book of the Year 2014, British Sports Book Awards
Twenty-five years after his racetrack classic Laughing in the Hills, Bill Barich tells the story of how he fell in love and found a new life in Dublin, where he was soon caught up in the Irish obsession with horses and luck. Barich travels throughout his adopted country and meets the leading trainers and jockeys, the beleaguered bookies who work rain or shine, and a host of passionate, like-minded fans—from Father Sean Breen, the “Racing Priest,” to T. P. Reilly, whose peculiar betting system turns on a horse’s looks. Witty, philosophical, and vividly written, A Fine Place to Daydream is a paean to the real Ireland, a moving tale of a surprise romance, and a thrilling account of a hugely exciting season at the track. “Captivating. . . . Mr. Barich recaptures much of the feel and compass of his first narrative of the equine life, once again weaving a broad tartan from scores of interviews with inhabitants of every corner of the horseracing industry.” —The Wall Street Journal Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Sports Publishing imprint, is proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in sports—books about baseball, pro football, college football, pro and college basketball, hockey, or soccer, we have a book about your sport or your team. In addition to books on popular team sports, we also publish books for a wide variety of athletes and sports enthusiasts, including books on running, cycling, horseback riding, swimming, tennis, martial arts, golf, camping, hiking, aviation, boating, and so much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.
There can be no better way of getting to know Ireland than by visiting its racecourses: from the glamour of Leopardstown and the class of The Curragh to the majestic mountains around Killarney; from the warm welcome at Gowran Park and Clonmel to the summer holidaymakers' meetings and 'industry' days in the winter months. At any one of these venues, you might catch a glimpse of a future Cheltenham Gold Cup champion or Derby winner in action. Horses for Courses guides readers through a typical year in Irish racing and highlights the individuality of each venue. All have their own special qualities and atmosphere but share two common traits: a warm welcome and good sport. And that is what the author believes Irish racing is all about. The country's courses enjoy a huge level of support from the local population. It might be raining and some of the races may be 'ordinary' but the stands will always be crowded. That is because racing is part of Irish culture and the nation's way of life: with 27 courses, it has proportionately far more venues than Great Britain. Meticulously researched and passionately written, Horses for Courses is the definitive guide to Ireland's racecourses and is essential reading for horse-racing enthusiasts everywhere.
Kauto Star, Nijinsky, Arkle, Desert Orchid, Frankel, Red Rum ... how do you rank the best British and Irish horses from both Flat racing and jumping? How do you compare a fleet-footed sprinter with the robust staying power of a steeplechaser? Robin Oakley's highly personal list will provoke debate among racing fans everywhere. A lifelong devotee of racing and well known as the Turf correspondent for the Spectator, former BBC Political Editor Robin Oakley has made his selection not just on statistics but on the 'fun factor', giving prominence to horses who seized the public's imagination. He brings the legendary names of past and present vividly to life with a wealth of fascinating stories behind their victories. Illuminated by archive photographs that illustrate the athleticism, character and courage of the horses, Britain and Ireland's Top 100 Racehorses of All Time is the perfect gift for any fan of racing and its colourful history.
The Cheltenham Festival is nowadays the biggest event in the racing year – in visitor numbers eclipsing Royal Ascot, the Grand National or the Derby. In 2011 it is a hundred years since the 1911 running of the National Hunt Chase marked the birth of the Festival, providing the perfect occasion for Robin Oakley's new history. This is a work of both history and celebration – telling the story of how three days of jump racing beneath Cleeve Hill in Cheltenham became a vast sporting event attracting an average of 50,000 spectators per day. Before the War it saw legendary horses like Golden Miller; after the War the Irish invasion began – both horses and spectators; in the Sixties, Arkle, the greatest jumps horse of all time duelling with Mill House in the Gold Cup. In recent years there have been Cheltenham favourites like Desert Orchid, winning a gruelling Gold Cup in the mud, Dawn Run, Best Mate (2 Gold Cups), hurdlers like Istabraq and Persian War, and the grey hero One Man. But also it is a story of the craic and the characters, like the Irishman who won enough on Istabraq to pay off his mortgage, then lost it again on the Champion Chase, and reflected, "Ach, it was only a small house anyway…" This is a book for both the committed Festival-goer, Guinness in hand, and every armchair racing fan.
Robin Oakley brings alive the colourful world of those who ride and train jumping horses. With elegant production and gripping images, Sixty Years of Jump Racing chronicles the social and economic changes which have brought the sport's ups and downs-like the development of sponsorships and syndicate ownership, the near loss of the Grand National, the growing domination of the Cheltenham Festival and the growth of all-weather racing to meet the bookies' demands for betting shop fodder. Pace and colour is provided by stories of the horses who have been taken to the heart of racing crowds, like the Irish-trained hurdler Istabraq and Best Mate, the three-times winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup for England. Famous rivalries and memorable races are re-lived and key victories revisited in portraits of and interviews with the owners, jockeys and trainers who have dominated the sport. The emphasis will be largely on the past fifty years-from Arkle to Tony McCoy-but a significant introduction by Edward Gillespie encapsulates the past history of what was previously known as 'National Hunt Racing' and sets the stories in context.
