Michael Clower

Michael Clower, despite qualifying as a Chartered Accountant (and being placed first in the UK finals), has been a racing journalist for over 50 years.

He started in Kenya where he wrote for the East African Standard and rode as an amateur against the professionals, winning on three of his first six rides. He also met his wife Tessa who was working for the Kenya Jockey Club.

He moved to Ireland in 1973 to become a full time racing journalist, starting with The Irish Field. He became Irish correspondent of The Sporting Life and, when that paper closed, he joined the Racing Post and also wrote for The Sunday Times and the Sunday Mirror. He wrote four widely-acclaimed biographies: Mick Kinane – Big Race King, Champion Charlie, The Legend Of Istabraq and Kings Of The Turf.

He “retired” to South Africa in 2006 and for ten years wrote for the Cape Times. He was South Africa’s racing journalist of the year in 2015. Riding For A Fall is his first novel.