The Sport of Queens

Book excerpt: Dick Francis, now one of the world's outstanding thriller writers, made his first career as a steeplechase jockey after serving in the RAF during the war. The height of his riding achievements was as Champion Jockey; the lowest point was when his mount Devon Loch, owned by the Queen Mother, sprawled just before the winning post in the 1956 Grand National. However, this traumatic event led, a few months later, to Dick being asked to write his autobiography. Having completed The Sport of Queens, Dick decided that the writing game was a good substitute for the racing game.