Product Description

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3448820 in Books
• Published on: 2004-10-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 192 pages

Customer Reviews

The Epsom Derby from 1953 to 2004
This book celebrating the Epsom Derby does not make clear that the second half of the twentieth century saw a decline in the status of the race despite ever-increasing prize money way beyond the rate of inflation. While steeplechases such as the Grand National and the Cheltenham Gold Cup attract their share of public attention (not just among racing fans), the Epsom Derby comes at a time of year when public attention is focused on other sports, especially in even-numbered years when there is either a World Cup or Olympic Games to contend with. It would have been nice to see some analysis or at least acknowledgement of the problems, but you'll have to look elsewhere for that. Likewise, the book says little about the race's history but the book's title makes clear what you can expect. If you are mainly interested in remembering or finding out about the build-up and running of the Epsom Derby year by year, this book is as good as you are likely to find for the period covered.

As my review title indicates, this book deals with the race over 52 years rather than the 50 indicated by the sub-title. It certainly brings back many memories for me, particularly from the seventies and eighties when my interest in the sport was at its most intense.

After an introductory chapter that helps to create an atmosphere for what follows, the author deals with each year separately. The author brilliantly describes the build-up to each race, reminding us what the main contenders had achieved in their preparatory races, sometimes mentioning horses that had been well-fancied but dropped out of the race for a variety of reasons - injury, illness, poor form or whatever. He also discusses the trainers and jockeys. The commentary on the race itself is excellent but there is very little about what the various horses did in subsequent races or at stud, and what there is mainly limited to the winner. Again, this is consistent with the book's title.

While the author has limited the scope of the book to the races and the build-ups to them, there is no denying that he achieved what he set out to do brilliantly. As long as you accept the book for what it is, you'll find it well worth reading. There have been other books about the Derby and will be more in the future, some of which are wider in scope. Look out for those if you want the other information.