Ayres, Michael; And Gary Newbon. Foreword By Lord Wigg Listings

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1 Ayres, Michael; and Gary Newbon. Foreword by Lord Wigg Over The Sticks. The Sport of National Hunt Racing England Great Albion Books 1971 0715353918 / 9780715353912 First Thus Hard Cover Fine Near Fine  Near fine/near fine dj. 8vo, 216pg text as new save for light curl to top of front dj panel. DJ not price clipped. Green hardcover boards straight and sharp. Includes a directory of National Hunt Organizations, a list of winners of major races, a chart of official scale of weight-for-age in rear. An exhausive work on the sport of steeplechasing. After tracing the stormy history of steeplechasing from the first race over jumps - a three-horse event in Leicestershire in 1792 - to its gradual development into the spectacular attraction that it is today, the book takes the reader behind the scenes at the racecourse, explaining the duties of officials such as stewards, clerks of the course, handicappers, starters and others, and showing how the sport is controlled and administered. It describes how courses are laid out, how fences are built and explains the differences between the various types of races, as well as dealing the comparative merits of betting with bookmakers or on the Tote. Methods of training are examined, with an insight into the daily life of a busy trainer, and there is much about that 'hardy breed', the jump jockeys, the strenous life they lead and the risks they take for comparatively meagre rewards. For the world-be owner, there is advice on how to set about it, either alone or as a member of a syndicate, details on what it costs to keep a jumper in the manner to which it will have become accustomed - roughly equivalent to the charges of a two-star hotel!, and a frank assessment of the rewards and tribulations to be expected of ownership.  Price: 38.00 USD Add to Shopping Cart