The Great Racing Read: Mark Bird

Waterhouse & Smith: The Rise To Power Of Two Racing Dynasties
By John Ellicott

 I recommend this book for anyone new to or interested in Australian racing. Written by John Ellicott, it is divided into two sections—the first exploring the Waterhouse dynasty, and the second, the Smith dynasty. With the TJ Smith Stakes to be run next week, and Gai Waterhouse having recently landed the Golden Slipper, it gives a good timely account of how the families rose to prominence in Australian racing but it also provides some of the wider history of Australian racing for anybody that may not be that familiar with it. It has a lot of interesting anecdotes about famous betting plunges and racing politics and is a nice, lively read.

For a bit of variety, I'd also suggest Treasures of The Bloodstock Breeders' Review, which was compiled by former DRF writer Leon Rasmussen in his retirement and was published in 1987 with help from Miles Napier. The idea was to preserve some of the best articles from the Review, which was started in 1912 by Edward Moorhouse and E. Coussell, and ran from then until 1979. It contains sections on memorable races, human and equine personalities as well as betting, breeding theories, handicapping and a variety of other racing-related anecdotes. One of the book's first articles is a really good account of the 1913 Derby, when the suffragette Emily Davison threw herself in front of the King's horse, Alner, and it concludes with a good piece on the American Stud Book. A little something for everyone really.

If you would like to share your favourite racing book with us, please email emmaberry@thetdn.com.