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VikingRidge
01 Feb 12 11:46
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Date Joined: 10 Jan 12
| Topic/replies: 251 | Blogger: VikingRidge's blog
Hi

As I had the pleasure of a 5 hour wait at Dublin airport after the racing at Leopardstown sunday, I decided to buy the Paul Carberry - One Hell of a Ride autobiography.

Now I can honestley say I haven't read more than a page of a book since GCSE English, which was 5-6 years ago as I generally do not enjoy reading at all. However as I had 5 hours to kill I thought I may as well give it a crack.

It was a great decision, it is a brilliant read (only have 50 pages left!). I spent most of the time in the airport double up laughing in tears. Some of the stories are quite scarry to be honest. But it's a great book! Would reccomend it to anyone! Even my old man who doesn't really have an interest in Horse Racing has quite enjoyed whats he's read so far, and is going to have the book off me once I'm finished.

Anyway, it has given me the bug to read more books in a similar vein to this.

So if anyone can reccomend ones they've quite enjoyed it would be appreciated!

Being a big Timmy Murphy fan, I was thinking of buying his next or Ginger McCains?

On a seperate note, Leopardstown is fast becoming my favourite course. Really love the place, and glad I made the effort to go out there for the 2 days. Flemenstar and Hurricane Fly certainly made the the rain worth suffering! Will try and upload the photo's I took in the pre parade on here.

Cheers

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Replies: 38
By:
Blackwater
When: 01 Feb 12 11:47
Hi, Paul.

How's the shoulder?
By:
bingo
When: 01 Feb 12 11:52
the one that surprised me was Julian Wilson's - fun read, insightful. He is far from the stuffy character I had imagined. Highly recommended.
Another real eye-opener was Ian Balding's, for very different reason: the man (tho undoubtedly brave), takes for granted the privilege and favour he was born into. It floods every sentence and he is obviously blissfully unaware how patent (and sickening) it is.
worth reading just to get a handle on the ingrained attitudes of his ilk.
By:
VikingRidge
When: 01 Feb 12 11:59
Cheers, Bingo will have a look for Julian Wilson's. I don't know much at all about him tbh.

Blackwater, what?
By:
Blackwater
When: 01 Feb 12 12:11
The problem I have with racing 'auto'biographies is that the standard line seems to be:

- I never stopped a horse in my life

- I was never asked to stop a horse

- I've even heard of a horse being stopped

Meanwhile, the rest of us are watching it happen daily.

Maybe, one day, a jockey will actually tell the truth, warts and all. Until then, I've zero interest in reading any of this self-serving ballsh1t.
By:
bingo
When: 01 Feb 12 12:13
OK VR.
Curley's also worth a go - tho again his self-image clashes head on with my view of him.
By:
wizardofoz
When: 01 Feb 12 12:20
Blackwater, imo there are two truthful recent autobiographies.

Lord Oaksey and Richard Dunwoody. The second is almost too truthful and milord admits to pulling one for Ginger Dennistoun about 50 years ago.
By:
duncan idaho
When: 01 Feb 12 12:33
I generally do not enjoy reading at all Cry
By:
duncan idaho
When: 01 Feb 12 12:34
Is the Dunwoody one a good read, wizard? (aswell as being truthful)
By:
Blackwater
When: 01 Feb 12 12:34
I didn't know that, Wiz.
By:
VikingRidge
When: 01 Feb 12 13:24
Has anyone read Carberry's one?

I liked a bit in the book he talked about the jockeys discussing riding tactics before a race.

Duncan, I have never have enjoyed reading, but I suppose unless you find the right book....
By:
Brother Mouzone
When: 01 Feb 12 13:40
Racing, like 99% of other sport autobiographies are piss poor.

If you want a book about racing you'd be muh better off with either A Long Time Gone or Go Down To Be Beaten by Chris Pitt imo.
By:
Anaglogs Daughter
When: 01 Feb 12 13:46
Irishracing.com

With this year’s Cheltenham Festival just six weeks away, the launch of CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL CENTENARY 1911–2011 – An Irish Tribute could not be more timely.
The latest work of renowned racing historian Guy Williams, this lavishly illustrated book has a foreword by the Festival’s most successful owner, JP McManus. The comprehensive record details the role of Irish owners, breeders, trainers, riders, punters and horses in making Cheltenham a uniquely Irish overseas arena.

It gathers together for the first time the triumphs and disasters that attended annual Irish forays to Prestbury Park in March. In addition to comprehensive indexes of horses and humans, it contains tables of every Irish-trained Cheltenham Festival winner.

From Ballinode in 1925 to War Of Attrition in 2006, the Cheltenham Gold Cup has crossed the 1rish Sea 21 times, with Cottage Rake and the legendary Arkle both successful three times.

The Champion Hurdle has been won by Ireland 18 times, from Distel in 1946 up to Hurricane Fly last year. Hatton’s Grace took the spoils three times, a feat emulated at the turn of the century by Istabraq.

Inkslinger, the only horse ever to win two steeplechases at the same Cheltenham Festival, and Montelado, the only horse ever to win successive Cheltenham Festival events, also have their own special place in Cheltenham history.

Limerick handler, Delma Harty became the first of her sex to saddle a Cheltenham Festival winner, just as Caroline Beasley became the first woman ever to ride a winner at the Olympics of National Hunt racing.

Enjoy reliving all these moments and much more for €25. Published by Daletta Press
By:
gbtp
When: 01 Feb 12 13:46
I read the Timmy Murphy one when it came out. Fully expected it to be the usual ghost written rubbish saying next to nothing either new, or controversial. I thought the book was interesting, entertaining, and refreshingly honest. If he tells an honest story of his life in the book, then the guy is a much misunderstood character. Just my opinion.
By:
VikingRidge
When: 01 Feb 12 14:05
Looks like this thread may be costing me a few bob!!! Cheers for the advice.
By:
Deltâ
When: 01 Feb 12 15:22
anyone read Gary Wiltshires? any views?
By:
stewarts rise
When: 01 Feb 12 15:35
An old one but a good un is the Barry Brogan book, mind you it would probably put you off ever betting on hore racing again.
By:
sickoflayinwinners
When: 01 Feb 12 16:03
the barry brogan is the absolute best A/B by a hundred miles, but "born lucky"   john francome is second best, steve smith eccles was good, and if you want a horses auto, try "the grey horse"  the eset orchid story   , superb read.
By:
sickoflayinwinners
When: 01 Feb 12 16:04
gary wiltshires is a good read as is   steve palmers. the martin pipe was vey good as well.
By:
Chompy_imo
When: 01 Feb 12 16:57
Some good autobiography is here
By:
thecribs
When: 01 Feb 12 17:07
Girlfriend got me AP McCoys for Xmas, as a flat racng fan I was not too bothered. Just started it recently and became hooked, I am about halfway through and Jim Bolger sounds exactly how I thought he is!
Will try the Carberry one. Problem I have is being 30, I only really have an interest in the biographies from my generation as I can relate to them and know/remember most of the horses or people discussed.
Canot wait for Fallon to get around to doing one! That should be pretty good!
By:
duncan idaho
When: 01 Feb 12 17:09
chompy lands the nap
By:
onlooker
When: 01 Feb 12 17:10
VikingRidge    -

Be careful when you get to the end of the nook -

It may spontaneously combust ...

- or has he already mentioned his setting a newspaper on fire aboard an aeroplane, yet?

That was funny, too ........................ But only to him.
By:
postmannick
When: 01 Feb 12 17:18
a bit off kilter but clement frued book was a very good he loved his racing
By:
Steamship
When: 01 Feb 12 17:29
Books by Jamie Reed
By:
fawwon
When: 01 Feb 12 17:36
Give the Alex Bird one as wide a berth as possible, I wish I had.
By:
VikingRidge
When: 01 Feb 12 17:43
On looker that was one of the bits which resulted in me double over laughing! Pure class...

One of the stories regarding 10 people in his Audi coming back from a party made me laugh quite a lot as well!
By:
onlooker
When: 01 Feb 12 17:50
You wouldn't have thought it was, "pure class," ... if you had been sat on that aeroplane.

- and if he had, "10 people in his Audi coming back from a party" ...

then, whoever was driving, should have been banned for life.
By:
1st time poster
When: 01 Feb 12 17:56
one book i,m going to give a go is by patrick collins of the mail,he,s been going to some of the great sporting events and getting down and dirty with the fans in the cheap seats at events like cheltenham,wimbledon, test match etc,and apparently is abiding memorys are, how knowledgable the muck and nettles fans are about their chosen sports, anyone read it
By:
smokie
When: 01 Feb 12 18:10
Graham Bradleys book wayward lad is excellent, although its 11 years old or so,
i recently bought it off amazon and it was a great read! Just finished Paul Carberrys
thought it was rather splendid!    Happy
By:
Percy Filth
When: 01 Feb 12 18:13
VikingRidge 01 Feb 12 11:59 
Cheers, Bingo will have a look for Julian Wilson's. I don't know much at all about him tbh.

Blackwater, what?

He's an upper class twit
By:
SPIDER PIG
When: 01 Feb 12 18:21
gary wiltshires is very very boring and a complete waste
of time
By:
SPIDER PIG
When: 01 Feb 12 18:21
gary wiltshires is very very boring and a complete waste
of time
By:
subaru
When: 01 Feb 12 18:45
Dont forget the Veitch...hilarious load of ****'n'bull
By:
Facts
When: 01 Feb 12 22:11
The Coup - Ken Payne
Always Back Winners - Stewart Simpson
Against The Crowd - Alan Potts
By:
Facts
When: 01 Feb 12 22:12
SPIDER PIG     01 Feb 12 18:21 
gary wiltshires is very very boring and a complete waste
of time

Bit like himself then
By:
duncan idaho
When: 02 Feb 12 07:58
not really autobiographies, those, facts Crazy
By:
Facts
When: 02 Feb 12 11:03
The first two( certainly The Coup) are the authors lifestyles - so sort of count as autobi's in my book.
By:
duncan idaho
When: 02 Feb 12 11:09
good lad
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