Travelling the Turf 1999: Distinguished Companion to the Racecourses of Great Britain and Ireland [Paperback]

This useful guide to the varied and picturesque racecourses of Great Britain and Ireland, which is now in its 14th edition, tells the travelling punter (or jockey!) all he or she needs to know on how to get to their intended track. But this colourful 304-page paperback is much more than merely a road atlas. As well as the easy-to-read maps of each racecourse and surrounding area, there is information on each track, including admission prices and, some would say most important of all, a summary of the best pubs, hotels and restaurants nearby.

And if you sometimes venture outside British shores in search of equine sport, there is a new international racing section featuring major courses as far away as Australia, America and the Far East. A comprehensive calendar containing all the meetings for 1999 is complemented by a list of the big races with dates.

While a horseracing fan, I have to confess I am not an art lover, but I can appreciate the fine collection of race paintings that decorate this colourful publication. Reading the book is like strolling through your local art gallery as it is filled with more than 200 contemporary illustrations from the equine world. For those not well up on the racing scene but interested in learning more about the "Sport of Kings", there is an explanatory section towards the back of the book.

If I have to find fault, then it is the lack of historical detail about the courses in the book. The past has been virtually ignored in favour of the present and the future. Overall, however, this is a classy product that has an informative feel about it from front to back cover. The price is a nice surprise, too. At £15, it is a bargain buy--it certainly would have been worth it for the lost jockey and his trainer who was fined £110!

The hard back ISBN is 1 902990 005, the soft back ISBN is 1 902990 013.