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Mince Pie for Starters: The Autobiography of One of Racing's Best-loved Figures (Hardcover)

by John Oaksey (Author)
5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)

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Product details

  • Hardcover: 288 pages
  • Publisher: Headline Book Publishing; First Edition edition (6 Oct 2003)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0755310667
  • ISBN-13: 978-0755310661
  • Product Dimensions: 24.3 x 16.4 x 3.2 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 412,176 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category:

    #68 in  Books > Biography > Sport > Horse Racing

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Product Description

Review

'Even the title John Oaksey chose for his autobiography confirms Mince Pie For Starters as the imperative read for racing fans this christmas' -- The Times 20031213 'Fantastic news for anyone who has even a passing interest in horses and horseracing ... [a] very enjoyable book' -- J.A.McGrath, Daily Telegraph 20031030 'John Oaksey is the archetypal English gentleman. He is a sweetheart, a star, the bravest of the brave, funny and kind...I loved this charming book: old fashioned the standards may be, modest to an almost ridiculous degree the style, but shining through it all is a man in love with life, with sport, tradition and competition. How lucky the sport of racing has been to have him as its leading writer and advocate for so many years' -- Stoker Hartington, Spectator 20031115 '[a] delightful and often hilarious autobiography...splendid memoir' -- Country Life 20031002 'The imperative read for racing fans this Christmas' -- Chris McGrath, The Times 20031213 'Hilarious anecdotes ... Oaksey is a gripping storyteller. Not only is this one of the best racing books that has ever been written but it also reveals an honest and generous character' -- Chris Goulding, Sunday Express 20031214 'One of the most remarkable feats of sportswriting I have witnessed was by a mud-splattered jockey who had just been narrowly beaten in the 1963 Grand National. Within minutes he was crouched in a noisy, sweltering, overcrowded Press room penning 1,200 words on the emotions of losing in the last few yards to a 66-1 outsider, Ayala, to catch the first edition of a Sunday newspaper. If I have ever seen ultimate professionalism that was it' -- Ian Wooldridge, Daily Mail 20031115


J.A.McGrath, Daily Telegraph

'Fantastic news for anyone who has even a passing interest in horses and horseracing ... [a] very enjoyable book'
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0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars An interesting and varied life, my noble lord, 29 May 2009
By Peter Durward Harris "Pete the music fan" (Leicester England) - See all my reviews
(#1 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)      
John Oaksey became known to millions of British racing fans via his regular appearances as a TV presenter. He may sometimes give the impression that he is a bumbling idiot but he is actually a highly intelligent man who is very knowledgeable about horseracing. Born John Lawrence, he inherited the titles of Lord Trevithin and Lord Oaksey on the death of his father in 1971. His grandfather eventually became Lord Chief Justice while his father achieved even greater distinction, becoming the presiding judge at the Nuremburg war crimes tribunal. John was expected to follow his distinguished predecessors into law, but although he spent twenty years as a magistrate, his love of horses caused him to look for an alternative career. Ultimately, he found success as a racing journalist, initially in newspapers but later in his more famous TV role. John also established a career as an amateur jockey.

This book tells us about John's early life including his time at Eton College and Oxford University, as well as his early encounters with horses and ponies. Coverage of his racing life only starts in chapter five, but racing dominates the book thereafter. John tells us about the horses he rode, including Taxidermist who might have won the Cheltenham Gold Cup if he hadn't fallen. John should have won the Grand National on Carrickbeg, but Ayala passed him near the finish having seemed to be beaten. Nevertheless, John scored some notable victories as a jockey on Happy Medium, Bullocks Horn, Tuscan Prince and the aforementioned Taxidermist, not forgetting his near misses on Proud Tarquin, and tells us about them in this book, sometimes using the original text from his newspaper articles. Apart from those he rode, John tells us about some of his other favorites including Arkle, Flyingbolt, Pas Seul, Mandarin and Mill Reef among others, not missing the chance to remind us that he wrote a whole book about Mill Reef, which I've already reviewed.

John became involved in other aspects of racing besides journalism and riding. He was, for many years, a trustee of the Injured Jockeys Fund. He later became president of the Elite Racing Club. Contrary to what the title might suggest, that club was a way in which ordinary people could have a stake in racehorse ownership for a comparatively modest outlay. John can also justifiably claim to have played his part in saving the Grand National via his journalistic efforts, which inspired others to act. Most remarkably of all, John was part of a three-man team summoned to Ireland after Shergar was kidnapped, supposedly to act as go-between. It may just have been a wild goose chase or it may be that the publicity scared off the kidnappers, but the mission didn't save Shergar.

Of course, this book is about people as well as horses. In his time, John has met many interesting people inside and outside racing. There are many stories in this cleverly titled book (named after a horse), some of them hilarious, but you'll have to buy or borrow the book to read about them all.
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