WARRIORS ON HORSEBACK: The Inside Story of the Professional Jockey By John Carter Release date: 01st March, 2016 Publisher: Bloomsbury List Price: £9.99 Our Price: £9.99 You Save: £0 (0%) Buy Now

Double Olympic cycling champion Victoria Pendleton would probably have got goose bumps reading WARRIORS ON HORSEBACK: The Inside Story of the Professional Jockey before embarking on her brave four legged crusade. The intrepid sportswoman was widely criticised by experts in the horse-racing community for gate-crashing this year’s Cheltenham Festival with just a year’s training behind her. Victoria will have loved learning about the camaraderie that has existed over the years between hugely competitive jockeys in the weighing rooms, especially in National Hunt racing, across the country where the warriors on horseback make their fame and fortune if they are lucky. But maybe some of the vivid descriptions of the falls and injuries would have given her just a few second thoughts. WARRIORS ON HORSEBACK highlights the headline performers for jump racing and flat racing as it takes the reader on a behind-the-scenes look at the lifestyle of the modern day professional jockey. Did you know that there is a hierarchy in the changing room? Former National Hunt champion jockey AP McCoy would occupy top position with his rivals seated in terms of importance, with the more senior jockeys sitting closer to the top man. Bob Champion, MBE, the 1981 Grand National winner on Aldaniti, writes in his foreword: “It is a world within a world and I hope the insights will be illuminating for readers. Jockeys are undoubtedly a rare breed and a special community that, to my mind, deserves to be recognised and celebrated.”