The finest jockey rider on the English turf during the nineteenth century was George Fordhamlauded throughout the sport as the Demon. Such was the judgment of his contemporaries from jockeys and trainers to owners and chroniclers. Yet history has not been kind to Fordham. Fate saw his career overshadowed by that of bitter rival Fred Archer, a jockey deemed his inferior but whose suicide invoked immortality. The question remains: if Archer is fit to be mentioned in the same breath as twentieth-century icons Gordon Richards and Lester Piggott, just how good a jockey does that make the unsung George Fordham? Acclaimed turf historian Michael Tanner shines a light on the life of this remarkable jockey and places him at long last atop the pedestal he deserves.

Britons watched the opening months of 1913 unfold with a sense of foreboding. On the continent, they saw a brutal conflict in the Balkans increase the prospect of a war engulfing the whole of Europe. On their doorstep, they observed the thorny issue of Irish home rule edge the island toward civil war as Ulsters Protestant Loyalists, led by Sir Edward Carson, vow they will fight to remain part of the United Kingdom rather than be subservient to a Catholic Republic governed from Dublin. And at home, they watched militant suffragettes, such as Emily Wilding Davison, challenge the rule of law in their crusade for the vote. The fiction that follows is set against this turbulent backcloth and constructed around certain historical events and individuals. Yet who is to say the story doesnt chime with a faint ring of truth?

The Oxford Murder that gripped the country in 1931 would grace any episode of Inspector Morse. Yet it was horrifically real. Annie Kempson was a defenceless widow bludgeoned and stabbed to death in her own home for the sake of a few poundsa despicable crime for which the killer could expect no mercy. Following a nationwide man-hunt, career criminal Henry Seymour was arrested by Scotland Yards Lucky John Horwell. And thanks to renowned pathologist Sir Bernard Spilsbury a guilty verdict was returned. This truly was an Oxford murder from beginning to end. The crime was committed in Oxford. The trial was held in Oxford. The execution was carried out in Oxford. But did the Oxford murder result in a miscarriage of justice?

This is the story of how a boy from a disadvantaged background on the outskirts of Oxford overcame all obstacles through an alliance of self-belief and inspirational grammar school teachers to fight his way into Oxford University.

Richard Dunwoody was the most successful steeplechase jockey of his time. During his fantastic career, he rode over 10,000 times, often partnering the top National Hunt horses such as Desert Orchid and Miinnehoma. His staggering collection of 1,699 wins in Britain has earned him professional respect and a string of accolades including an MBE.In this fascinating book, Dunwoody remembers the great horses he has ridden and the high points of his remarkable career. In 1986 he rode to victory in the Grand National on West Tip and repeated this triumph in 1994 on Miinnehoma. It was with One Man that he won two consecutive King George VI chases. Although his career was full of memorable partnerships and victories, it is for riding Desert Orchid that Dunwoody is best remembered. 'Dessie' was a hugely popular horse - apart from Red Rum, he was the only racehorse with a fan club - and the pair rode their way to a remarkable seven victories. Yet despite his big race victories, his determination and ambition remained constant, driving him on to even greater achievements.In a book full of stories, anecdotes and opinions, Richard tells not only of the glory surrounding his career but also of the hard work involved in achieving that glory: the struggle to ensure that both horse and rider were at their peak on race day; the pitfalls and the setbacks endured; and the quirks and characteristics of some of the finest horses in this tough sport.

Britain and Ireland's Top 100 Racehorses of All Time author Robin Oakley takes us on a canter through the colourful world of horseracing. Join him as he shares evocative personal stories of being there at racing legends' key moments, such as Frankie Dettori riding seven winners in a day at Ascot. He debates whether jockeys are sportsmen or masochists – jump jockeys can expect a fall on average every 13 rides – and reminisces about unusual achievements, including trainer Sirrell Griffith's Cheltenham Gold Cup win after milking his 100 cows that morning. Tales From the Turf is an extraordinary account from the Spectator's long-running Turf columnist, and a man for whom horseracing is a lifetime's passion.

Grey horses have a special charisma - indeed, there are now even whole racesedicated to them. But Desert Orchid was also an astounding record breaker -inner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the Whitbread Gold Cup, the Irish Grandational, and an extraordinary four-times victor in the prestigious Queenother Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day. His triumphs, and his rareailures, became front-page news: he is unquestionably the only horse inritain to have attained a kind of rock-star celebrity. Though he ran hisast race in 1990, his fame is such that at the age of 24 he still puts inegular personal appearances at Cheltenham on Gold Cup Day and Kempton onoxing Day, unquestionably as one of the biggest stars of the show. Richardurridge has been Desert Orchid's owner from the beginning; this is hisnside story of one of the bravest horses British racing has ever seen.