Ashforth's Curiosities of Horseracing

‘Immensely readable, entertaining and informative from beginning to end.’   ‘For my money, no one has ever been better at expressing the punter's love of racing that survives repeated and brutal misfortune, nor at finding and describing some of its odder characters. He is clear-eyed about the game, seeing its faults alongside its qualities; he can do an in-depth investigation or a jocular piece that makes you laugh… that's why Ashforth's Curiosities of Horseracing is a must-read for me and doubtless for many of you who share my enthusiasm for its author… There's a cast of thousands in Ashforth's 247 pages, including Sid James, Charles Dickens and Joe 'Mincemeat' Griffin, who features on the cover. It'll keep you in bedside reading for a very long time, I reckon.’ -- Chris Cook * The Front Runner Column * One of Britain’s best-loved racing journalists, David Ashforth has found the stories to capture the readers’ attention on all these topics and more. This book is the perfect gift for horseracing fans.   -- Michael Sagar If the tales are well chosen, then the writing of them is something one has come to expect from the irreverent wordsmith. It’s no surprise that what Ashforth treats us to is less of a history lesson and more of a celebration of the ways in which our sport embraces, nurtures and even helps to create a world that’s as odd as it is inspiring. -- Peter Thomas There are plenty witty racing journalists but not many of them can translate that wit to the written word in an engagingly warm manner in quite the way Ashforth has consistently done throughout his career. -- David Cormack Ashforth's Curiosities of Horseracing by David Ashforth (£20 hardback) reveals a sport full of quirks and curiosities. This fascinating and fun collection of tales will leave you with an enriched view of a fascinating sport. -- Lorna Mayberry * Festive Bookshelf 2024 * Ashforth’s account is a refreshing reminder of all the amusing, interesting and colourful characters that the racing world has to offer. Organised by category and designed for readers to experience in any order they choose, Ashforth’s book collects shorts about racing from around the world. From preserving Phar Lap to racing the wrong horse, this collection will share stories sure to entertain fans who enjoy a good turn of phrase and a bit of trivia about the sport we all love. -- Jennifer Kelly Each of Ashforth’s “curiosities” has been chosen to arouse interest. “They are stories of those curious creatures – people, and of horses. The curiosities are arranged in themes so that the reader can dip in and out, as the mood takes them. The collection should leave them with a benevolent view of an intriguing sport, if they didn’t already have one. As we’re talking Christmas trees, and the gifts that potentially lie thereunder, I splashed out the full price of £20 to grab copy of the immensely entertaining Ashforth’s Curiosities of Horseracing (Merlin Unwin Books), and I don’t regret a penny spent. This one will not be heading for the local Oxfam bookshop. David Ashforth was a regular contributor to the Sporting Life and Racing Post and he has collated around 250 vignettes – all numbered and indexed, so dipping in and out is a joy – on a myriad of viewpoints of the sport. There are very few more skilled writers than Ashforth and his forensic research liberally speckled with his trademark-understated wit makes for hours of pleasure. -- Robert Cooper He has an eye for a curiosity and his research is brilliant. There’s a story here for everyone in this wonderful and abundant collection. It’s a steal at £20.