Horse-Racing's Strangest Races [Paperback]

Among the more recent races covered are the Grand Nationals of 1993 (abandoned after a false start) and 1997 (delayed by two days because of a bomb hoax) as well as the day ay Ascot when Frankie Dettori rode all seven winners - a case when the races individually were not strange, but the combination of results was noteworthy. But of all the modern races, my favorite is the stun gun case, concerning a horse that seemed all set to win at Royal Ascot when well clear, before suddenly swerving.

The ancient races covered include (inevitably) the 1844 Epsom Derby, in which the winner was disqualified because he was a four year old (the race is for three year olds), the 1913 Epsom Derby, in which Emily Davison ran on to the course and was trampled to death by a horse, the 1962 Epsom Derby in which seven horses fell, the 1928 and 1967 Grand Nationals in which only one horse completed the course without mishap (Tipperary Tim and Foinavon respectively) and the 1956 Grand National in which Devon Loch collapsed within sight of winning.

There are other Epsom Derbies and Grand Nationals here too, as well as many more modest races in which strange things happen, including where no horse wins and the race was declared void. A fair number of novelty races are also included. On a sad note, the Hong Kong disaster of 1918, in which the stands caught fire with the loss of 604 lives, is also covered - the worst sporting disaster in the world.

Scandals are also represented. Quite apart from the 1844 Epsom Derby, these include Trodmore races 1898 (a fake race meeting) as well as Francasal in 1953 and Flockton Grey in 1982 (both cases of horse-swapping).

Some of the races described are not strange at all. Star Appeal's victory in the Arc De Triomphe is included, but nothing strange happened, although he was (and still is) the longest priced winner of the race. There are other races whose inclusion could also be questioned, especially as others with more obvious claims have been omitted, like the race at Royal Ascot in the 1970's in which the first three horses past the post (all well clear of the fourth) were all disqualified for interfering with each other and the race given to the fourth horse. In the 1980's, the St Leger had to be switched to Ayr because of holes in the ground at Doncaster. This episode is not included either.

Despite these reservations, inevitable with a book of this kind, this should provide plenty of amusement to horse racing fans everywhere. For those interested in other sports, be aware that this is one of a series covering a variety of sports including golf, motor racing, cricket and soccer.

The only chapter to leave me flat was on the International Race at Belmont Park, NY, USA, in 1923 between Papyrus, the Derby Stakes winner of that year, and the American 'Zev, a horse owned by an oil-man called Sinclair.' Ward recounts the difficulties of arranging the race and the rigors of Papyrus' Atlantic crossing. But Ward doesn't even hint that Zev had won that year's Kentucky Derby (10 furlongs) as well as the Belmont Stakes (11 furlongs in those days.) The latter race had been run on the same course as the International would be. Zev had not only the home-country advantage but the home-course advantage as well; he was a indeed a worthy match for Papyrus.

For all his own travels across the Atlantic, Ward neglects to broaden his mind just this once. It's a glaring standout in an otherwise fine collection.