Dick Hern: The Authorised Biography Book

In the gallop he jumped off, went full tilt, and was soon in a clear lead. At the finish ... the closest of the others was 50 yards behind. The evidence that Brigadier Gerard was something out of the ordinary was unmistakeable.A gifted horseman, with one of the most outstanding Classic-winning training records of all time, Dick Hern, The Major, has also been celebrated--unfairly, this book contends, with some justification--as a notably unpleasant man, whose behaviour towards journalists and fellow professionals could sometimes be an unfortunate adjunct to his undoubted ability.Nowhere is this better illustrated than in the story of Brigadier Gerard--arguably the most outstanding and celebrated animal that Hern ever trained. This authorised account of that remarkable horse's hugely successful career makes for fascinating reading, but is overshadowed by a never before made public chronicle of the breathtakingly rancorous, and ultimately severed, relationship between Hern and the owner/breeders of the Brigadier, John and Jean Hislop, both now deceased. That the three could have shared such success, and yet their partnership have ended so acrimoniously, is remarkable to say the least--as is the vigour with which Jean Hislop, in particular, is condemned by Willett's version of the story.This is an unique perspective on the life and career of a significant figure in Turf history, and while one might wish for a more direct sense of contact with the man himself, those who have already read around the subject shouldn't hesitate from adding this to their racing bookshelf. Newcomers, or those whose preference is for the more elegiac strand of sports literature, might find this harder going. --Alex HankinRead More