Anne Holland: The Grand National [2008]

The Aintree Grand National is the world's most famous horserace - fast-paced, exhilarating and occasionally perilous. Everyone - serious racing fraternity and occasional flutterers alike - has heard of it. Millions are staked on the race, and millions watch. Down through the years it has produced many a fairytale result.

This lavishly-illustrated book examines the Irish presence at Aintree from the festival's earliest years; Irish horses, jockeys, trainers and breeders have always been prominent. No two horses have ever been trained alike for Aintree and no two stories have ever been the same. They are all here, written with the attention to detail and enthusiasm of a true racing fanatic. A wide-ranging and compulsively readable account of a beloved institution.