Northern Dancer: The Legend and His Legacy - Softcover

Lennox, Muriel

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0988067226 ISBN 13: 9780988067226

Publisher: Beach House Books, 2017

Synopsis

The story of Northern Dancer is the stuff of legend. A little horse, dismissed time and again because of his size, Northern Dancer not only won the 1964 Kentucky Derby in record time, today his descendants dominate racing the world over. Best selling author, Muriel Lennox, takes readers on a memorable ride into the sport of kings and queens. Lennox's deep empathy with horses results in dramatic portrayals of the animals themselves. Northern Dancer, his ancestors and descendants - from the eccentric Hyperion to the brilliant Nijinsky - fairly gallop off the pages.

About this title

Review:

Every sport has its unlikely legends. In horse racing, there is Northern Dancer.

This is the fast-moving story of a horse that, against the odds, has had a massive influence on the sport of kings--both on and off the track. Northern Dancer's success on the racecourse was in itself a remarkable tale of triumph in adversity.

Although small in size, he turned out to be larger than life, proving the cynics totally wrong by winning the 1964 Kentucky Derby in the fastest time in history. It also represented a marvellous achievement for his famous owner E.P.Taylor, who showed that great horses could be born and bred in Canada. And, while far from being the best looking of thoroughbreds, the success story continued after Northern Dancer's racing days were over. He is one of the most successful thoroughbred sires in racing history, with his descendants including the brilliant Nijinsky.

Author Muriel Lennox gives a splendid, vivid account of Northern Dancer's life both on and off the racecourse, as well as providing an intriguing insight into the character of owner E.P.Taylor. Clearly somebody who has witnessed much of what she talks about at close hand, she intersperses her well-told story with shorter pieces which act as useful summaries. The middle of the book includes some superb equine pictures, some of them action shots made more dramatic by being in black and white. And towards the tail-end, there are the impressive details of Northern Dancer's probably unparalleled record as a sire which takes the reader cantering through to the finish.

This may be the story of a horse that raced three decades ago, but the legend is still alive today and that comes across in this book. Through his many, successful descendants, the legacy of Northern Dancer relentlessly gallops on.

About the Author:

Descending from a colourful line of horse-loving Irish storytellers, bestselling author, Muriel Lennox, takes readers behind the scenes of some of horse racing's most extraordinary tales. Her portrayals of both horses and their humans are riveting.

About this edition

• Publisher: Beach House Books
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 0988067226
• ISBN 13: 9780988067226
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 220