Book Reviews

A very nice exploration in pictures and words of the life and times of steeplechasing and the characters and horses that surround it. Tracing it's origins from a early wager on who could reach a distant church steeple the first, Anne Holland looks at how we've reached the sport of today and the spectacle of the Grand National at Aintree.

Anne looks at the famous horses and trainers of the last 50 years as well as the involvement of the Queen Mother in supporting the sport. The importance of Point to Point racing as the breeding ground for National Hunt jockeys and horses and the recently imported Timber Racing are all included as well as the chaos of the 2001 Grand National. Famous names like John Francome, Arkle, Red Rum and Desert Orchid who have thrilled many a racing crowd all have their place in the ongoing story.

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It's a book which will give you some fascinating insights into the world of Nation Hunt racing as well as the thrill of the action through the stories and action photographs. A good book to pick up and browse.

Anne Holland is herself a former amateur rider who was one of the first women to ride(and win) under National Hunt Rules. She is the author of numerous books on horses. She lives on a farm in Wiltshire, where she enjoys hunting on former steeplechaser Bradbury Star and plans to breed National Hunt Horses.

Additional comments by Claire Lees...

I never tire of looking at horses, racehorses more than any other.

When I first looked at this book it was the photos that grabbed me most.
I marveled at the ability of a photo in my book to transport you to the race, to feel the strain of those muscles and the power in the hocks, you can almost hear the rumble of the hooves and the smell of warm horse. This book however is much more than that; it takes you on a journey through the history of this beautiful sport. You meet great personalities and learn how much the people and horses have molded to Steeple Chasing into what it is today.

It is nice to learn more about a sport and what has been developed in conjunction with it, I found the chapter on Timber Chasing a marvelous eye opener.

I felt I was meeting old friends when reading about the great horses I've heard so much about.

If you like horses and racing you will love this book, and if you don't look at the horses and the people who train, ride and look after them in a more understanding light you have not read it all.

Informative, entertaining, spell binding pictures, is how I sum up this book

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The book is lavishly illustrated in colour with most pages having at least one picture, many being full page action shots from races. It is a large format hardback book of 221 pages.

Little, Brown publishers
ISBN 0-316-85773-4

Book Reviews 1

Steeplechasing - A celebration of 250 years by Anne Holland