THE STORY OF YOUR LIFE

A history of The Sporting Life newspaper(1859-1998)

James Lambie VII

CONTENTS

- Part One - 'The Early Years' (1859-1874) -

Introduction: a newspapn with an eclectic mix of sports & pastimes, editors & reportns. 3

In the Beginning 5 The year 1859 ~ a new penny paper is advertised - the racing press of the early 19th century - Pince Egan, the father of modern sports journalism - Bel/'s Life in London is established.

2 The Penny Press 9 Industrial revolution transforms the press - abolition of newspaper taxes - birth of the penny press - the Penny Bell's Life is advertised - Maddick & Strange, two chancy printer-publishns - I larry Feist is editor at 22 - a misleading title and a disastrous launch.

3 Battle of the Bells 14 An editorial address - the Life's early success - Bel/'s injunction against 'the penny imitator' - Sir John Stuart warns it could be a great deal more than a penny affair - the injunction is granted - the Sporting Life is christened - 'a rose by any other name'.

4 Bankrupt and Beeton 21 Court costs cripple the Life - a change of management, premises, proprietor and publishn -- the new owner is soon bankrupt - Sam Beeton buys into the paper - his ties with the Dorlings of Epsom - his ownership battle is overtaken by tragedy - Charles Dickens extols the Life.

5 Betting in Bride Lane 30 The campaign to legalise betting - early days of bookmaking - Tattersalls and list houses - 11153 Betting Act - betting in Bride Lane, Hyde Park and at 'The Ruins' - the l.ife falls foul of the law - police raid Fleet Street betting clubs - Feist challenges the Lord Mayor.

6 Scribes and Touts 42 The Life's French correspondent is killed in a duel ~ Augur 'joins' the paper - Censor's poisonous epistles - Henry Dixon ('The Druid') as leader writer - Fred Taylor, a Balaclava veteran ~ Feist is forced to drop training reports, but reintroduces them by employing touts - an assault on a tout- the Jockey Club fail to suppress training reports.

7 Welshers and Dead 'Uns 57 Advertising swindles - the Life smells a rat - the Great Libel Case - a successful outcome - Feist is assaulted - a bookmaker is garrotted - the fungi of the Turf - a welshn is beaten up - a 'National' favourite is pulled - the IJ(e exposes a crooked houcher.

8 The Tarragona Affair 66 Ascot's clerk of the course is warned off - a new starter is appointed - Jockey Club enquire into the Tarragona match - Admiral Rous, a biased jury and a non-proven verdict - Irwin Willes, ';\ rgus' of the Morning Post, is warned off - Lord Winchilsea is ridiculed by Dixon - he resigns from the Jockey Club - Willes has his pound of flesh. VIII THE STORY OF YOUR LIFE

9 Campaigns and Consumption n The need for racing reform - of horses names and assumed names - place money in classics - Dixon advocates an Injured Jockeys' Fund -manslaughter of a head lad -racecourse fatalities - minimum weight is raised 141b from 4st 7lb - the toll of TB on jockeys - three champions die within 14 months, two in their 20s - a pathetic suicide.

10 The Rules of the Game ilil England Xl's first overseas cricket tour - an unpaid bar bill- Feist slates Surrey's 'gentlemen' for not attending Lockyer's funeral- Lillywhite's stand on over-arm bowling - EM Grace's lob bowling - j-:ootball Association is formed - Charles Alcock institutes the FA Cup - the first Cup Final - early internationals - the RFU is formed - Scotland XX v England XX.

11 A Transatlantic Challenge 99 The press and prizefights - a brief history of the Prize Ring - the Queensberry rules - an Irish- American Jack Heenan challenges the English champion Tom Sayers - the articles of agreement - the fight colours - Heenan is smuggled into England, is chased by the police and arrested - questions are asked in parliament - a Sheffield MP is 'pooh-poohed'.

12 Fisticuffs at Farnborough 107 Feist goes on a pub crawl- the fight specials leave London Bridge at 4.25am, destination unknown - a round by round report - referee is bundled out of the ring - Sayers is almost strangled - his supporters cut the ropes - the police arrive - American press deride the 'British lion' - a draw is announced - two belts arc made - Feist believes Heenan won.

13 Competition 117 The Life's big-fight edition sales of 367,000 leads to a boom in sporting papers - the Sporting Glzette, Sporting Times (aka 'The Pink 'Un'), Sportsman and Sporting Chronicle - Dr Shorthouse and his con amore contributors take no prisoners - Feist's rash boast - 'A Daniel Come to .Iudgement' - Filet de Casse Tete on the menu.

14 An Exodus of Bookmakers 122 The Life's hypocrisy over tipsters' adverts - the arrest of London commission agents - Feist persuades his bookmaker to move to Scotland - others soon follow - adverts take up half the paper - Ceorge Anderson's Iil74 Betting Act - the bookies flee to France - the Life is prosecuted for carrying bookmakers' ads - some miscellaneous adverts.

15 On Dogs, Rats and Songbirds 130 Ratting competitions - 100 'long tails' in the pit - Bob demolishes his foes in 1Imins 26s - a man undertakes to kill 30 rats with his teeth - Master McGrath wins the Waterloo Cup for the third time - he is presented to Queen Victoria - rabbit coursing, an exact science - songbird singing contests - the sweet poetry of a tug wizzey - an infidel murders Reynard.

16 No New Thing 142 An American horse whisperer performs for Queen Victoria - Gladstone's government attacks hunting - RSPCA prosecute a jockey - Feist subpoenaed as chief witness for the prosecution - a warning that hunting and coursing arc next on the list - Sir Joseph Scratchawley v the Sporting Times - Dr Shorthouse is jailed for three months - Dixon visits him in prison. CONTENTS IX

17 The Lost Leaders 152 The River Ure tragedy - Dixon a friend of those drowned - his own feelings of morc11ity - hIS death - tributes to 'the Tacitus of sporting writers' - the leader column is absorbed by 'Augur'- Feist's social conscience - a 'preposterous law' prohibits 2-y-o racing until May 1 - Feist's inconsistency - his death at 38 - a fund is set up - Admiral Rous is its president - £ 1,537 (£ 138,3.10) is raised in a few weeks - the Life was his memorial for 123 years, until. ..

- Part Two - The Uncertain Years (1875-1918)-

18 A Vet in the Chair 165 Loss of Dixon and Feist compounded by E J Darling's departure - the Life left vulnerable as the Sportsman becomes a daily - Charles Ashley, an ambitious journalist - James and Sydney Smith win £100,000 (£9m) when Rosebery lands the Autumn Double - John Corlett buys the Sporting Times - Charles Blake takes over at the Life ~ a skilled vet but no journalist - the telegraph is nationalised and its lines extended - it's no help to a bi-weekly.

19 Captain Webb's Channel Trip 172 Bob Watson, the I,ife 's swimming correspondent - Matthew Webb asks him to find a backer - ellter Prof. Beckwith - a secret trial in the Thames - Beckwith backs his man - Webb switches his allegiance - Watson misses the boat - Arthur Payne's graphic log - \X!ebb a national hero - his tragic end - the rife sponsors swimming competitions - 'the advantages of rescuing life from drowning' - an international contest for the Life's cup.

20 Wobble Weston's Walkabout 180 The Life sponsors bicyele races and pedestrian races - cheating is rife - 'Wobble' Weston's wager to walk 2,000 miles in 1,000 hours - he passes through 31 counties and 190 cities and towns - the Life's Martin Cobbett paces him as a judge - Weston mobbed in towns - beaten by 'time' 22'/2 miles short of his target - 'the race of the century' at Lillie Bridge - armed thugs force the 'peds' to leave - the 'orderly' crowd burn down the stadium.

21 Blake's Daily Balderdash 189 Blake a weak editor, he refuses to address important issues and ignores a riot at Shrewsbury - an example of his doggerel- the paper loses sales to its daily rivals - it steps up publication to four times a week and finally becomes a daily in 1883 - how to fill the extra space - smoking concerts and fishing exhibitions - Test cricket in Australia - the 'Ashes' obit on English cricket - billiards, clog-dancing and bottle-carrying.

22 The SP Wars 196 Various sets of SPs - 33 points difference in the price of a Derby winner - bookies start to settle at prices 'as quoted in the morning papers' - the Life sets up a telegraph results service and supplies the Press Association - the Spurtsman supplies the Central News Agency and Extel - the first SP war of 1885 - the Life takes over Bel/'s Life - Lord Shrewsbury objects to the Life's retllrns - a second SP war breaks out - confusion reigns for seven years - the Life takes over the Sporlsl11<111- a third SP war, the Life v the Chronicle - finally unification.

23 Tragedy and Scandal 207 x THE STORY OF YOUR LIFE

Frcd Archer, champion jockey for 13 seasons, commits suicide - his career and weight problems - how the Lill' broke the news - his involvement in a jockeys' ring - his death clears the way for a Jockey Club purge - Lord Ailesbury is warned off - Blake dismisses the story in four Jines - Lord Durh'lm 'lccuses Sir George Chetwynd and his jockey, Charlie Wood, of fixing races - Wood sues, is ,m'lrded a Llrthing llamages, and is warned off - Chetwynd sets his damages at :£20,000 - the Life devotes ,)4 columns to the 12-day hearing ~ Chcrwynd also aw,uded a farthing damages - he resigns from the Jockey Club -- postscripts.

24 The Irish Connection 222 Bob \X!,ltson a fearless reporter and referee - he covers the last bareknuckle championship in Furope -- Sullivan v Kilrain in America marks the end of the prize ring - the Life holds big-fight weigh-ins 'It its office - Elliot Hutchins ('Solon'), 'the best judge of a horse I can recall,' but not where Chaleureux is concerned - Ned Healy, the Jjfe's Irish correspondent - the Land League disrupts hunting and racing - the Phoenix Park assassinations - the sad saga of The Lamb - Orby, the first Irish-trained Derby winner - Healy's last article appears on the day he dies - he was 'a Iandnurk in the history of Irish sporting journalism'.

25 The Trodmore Coup 23 I glake's v'lledictory article - his death - George Lowe takes over - his passion for foxhounds - the

Trodmore card IS published in the Sportsm'l11 - Reaper 'wins' at 5-1 - the !.ife publishes the Sportsm,m's returns - a literal makes Reaper's SP 5-2 - an inquiry is launched ~ 'where thc hcll is 'Ii'odmore?' - Edward Hulton and Fleet Street enjoy thc joke.

26 Cook's Campaigns 237 Theodore Cook's impressive CV - he campaigns against the use of barbed wirc (hunting accidents); b'lttuc shooting (unsporting), the destruction of rare birds and shamatcurism - thc cricket 'strike' of I~96 - the pros demand £20 (£1 ,~OO) for playing in the deciding Test - Cook challcngcs W G GLlce over 'reasonable expenses' and condemns the MCC - the Aussie 'amatcurs' reccive £700 ({6,),()OO) a man - George Lohmann's couragcous sacrifice.

27 The American Invasion 245 TOll slo'lI1 Llils to impress the Life's 'insular' reporter - hc rides four winners on the last day of the I~97 SC;lson 'lnd returns to win on 12 of his 16 mounts at Newmarket - he ends the season with a 4).7% strike Llte - Cook assesses Sloan - Lord Durham praises Sloan - Lowc defends the English style - Sloan's lovc of g'lmbling and high society - thc suppression of betting in the States leads to an inv'lsion in '99 - reckless riding, pulling horses and heavy betting become common place- Durham ,ltt;lcks the Yanks, Cook defcnds them- thc Jockey Club finally ban Sloan, the champion jockeys of 1900 and 1901 and Lord Derby's jockey.

28 A Lethal Legacy 259 Fnoch \X!ishard uses dope on Jaded horses - huge gambles are Iandcd - doping sprc;lds to the Continellt - it is b'lnnnl in Austria ,md Hungary, but champagne and whisky are still allowed - nitro-glycerine is used in America - frogs used as dope detcctors in Russia - Georgc Llmbton's doping experiment - Jockey Club finally outlaw doping in 1904.

29 The Scottish Reformation 264 l.etter from Ficld Marshal Lord Roberts - the 'boys' are coming home - Lowe's views of the Boers - I);)nny j\bher's near fatal car crash - an apology of a follow-up - Lowe has to go ~ William Will CONTENTS XI

takes over - he brings in W S Morley-Brown - the two revive the paper - new features Include :lnnual lists of obituaries - a C-Z of flying fatalities in 1910 - the mounting toll among motorists - Will serialises the autobiography of the famed pugilist, Jem tvbce - it runs for mollths ..- the lifi":; racegoers' trip to France - 'It could become a big thing'.

30 A Marathon Trophy 272 The Life scoops the news of the 19m~ London Olympics - Pietri's disqualification in the IlLHathon - the Life':; 4ft 6in trophy to promote long-distance running - the first Windsor to London 'Poly' marathon - the race becomes the official British trial for the Olympics - Sam Ferris wins it eight times, but is just beaten in the 1932 Olympics - Jim Peters' three record-breaking wins :He no help against Zatopek in Helsinki - Peters docs 'a Pietri' in Vancouver - the Lifi' 'retires' from the r:1ce after 1961 - the trophy returns in 1971, but has to share the stage with egg cups - it is aligned with the Flora London marathon in 1996,

31 The Fight Against the Faddists 2H2 The sporting press is attacked by Anti-Gambling League - Lowe adopts a laissCl-Llire poliCY towards the faddists, Wm Will fights them- he gives National Sporting League an office:lt the Lifi' and becomes its treasurer - racing news blotted out in public library newspapers - the debt r:1Clng owed to Edward VII - the Street Betting Act of 1906.

32 Football Bandits 290 Street bookies move to Holland to launch football coupons -newspapers proprietors in league with swindling bookmakers - the Life preaches against football coupons - Holland b:lIls betting - the bookies flit to Switzerland - \lV'm Will leaves and Wm Lints Smith takes over - he promotes :1body to colltrol bookmakers' advertisements.

33 Prepare for the Horrors 2% Lillts Smith joins The Time:; - Morley-Brown takes over as war is declared - the rush for remounts - the 'Grand Steep' winner joins the French cavalry and is killed along with his jockey- horrific account as 1,200 remoullts drown- first casualties include the rider of three Grand MiliLHY C;old Cup winners - the race becomes a jinx as two more winning riders arc killed - the Sportsman's Battalion - the dreadful toll on rugby internationals and other sporting heroes - the Ufi' tre:lds a fine line as it urges enlistmellt while it campaigns for the continuance of sport - r:lIlk and file footballers join up in their tens of thousands - not so the star players - a name and sh:1me :Hticle - the Lift, sends sports equipment to the Front - letters of thanks from the trenches - the Sportsmen's Ambulance Fund.

34 Racing and the War 3 13 Racing is stopped for three weeks at outbreak of war - many courses arc requisitioned - the Jockey Club decide racing should continue 'where local conditions permit' - the Epso1ll gLlIldst:lIld hospital debacle - a wounded soldier attacks the spoilsports - The Times condemns race tr:1lns - racing is stopped apart from at Newmarket - 'the Germans have won the 1915 Derby' - Iimited N H and Flat racing is allowed in 1916-the Easter Uprising stops racing in Ireland - transport of horses by road and rail banned - horses walk to meetings - oats arc rationed - all raclllg banned :lfrer 4 May 1917 - dead-horse carts busy in Newmarket - the ban brings the threat of another uprising in Ireland - more fixtures arc grallted to Ircland, but not in England - the TBA is formed to fight the ban - government cave in and allow racing at six courses - NH racing is banned in 191 H, then a limited programme is allowed - the farce runs until the armistice - faddist lviI's arc rollted in the 191H general election, XII THE STORY OF YOUR LIFE

- Part Three - 'The Golden Years' (1919-1998)

35 A Land Fit For Heroes? 331 The aftermath of war - strikes disrupt racing - a stable lad's plea for a living wage ~ Epsom lads strike for a wage of 50s (£90) - boom in sport leads to increased coverage in the national press - rising costs force tbe Life up to 3d - after 60 years it moves out of 148 Fleet Street and is bought by Odiums - a new style of journalism bypasses the Life.

36 Death on the Racecourse 335 An alarming increase in racecourse faLllities - the racing press raise funds for bereaved families - the l.ife urges the authorities to set up an insurance scheme - one is finally brought in after more deaths ~ Flat jockeys' lives are worth twice as much as jump jockeys' - the curse of Sergeant Murphy - Meyrick Good calls for crash helmets to be made compulsory - a cork skullcap is introduced for Jump jockeys - many Flat jockeys are killed before they are required to wear them - after 38 years chinstraps arc finally fitted.

37 The Race Gang Wars .HI Post-war boom offers rich pickings for racketeers - racecourse gangsters no new thing - turf wars break out over bookmakers' pitches - extortion rackets flourish - the Birmingham gang v London's S;lbini boys - guns at Ally Pally, axes and hammers at Epsom - bookies form their own protection body and buy over the gangsters - the Jockey Club set up a racecourse detective force - the Racecourse Betting Act of 1928 gives the Turf authorities the power to regulate bookmakers - BPAs weed our the rotten apples - the gangs arc finally forced out.

38 Churchill's Iniquitous Levy 346 The General Strike of 1926 - two weeks without a Life - Chancellor Winston Churchill proposes ;1 betting tax - Life forecasts widespread evasion, an increase in street betting and its total failure- Churchill refuses to reform the betting laws - racecourse bookies go on strike - a punter cries 'we wam the Tote' - the bookmakers cry wolf - welshers are licensed and then prosecuted for illegal betting - bookies have to pay tax for defaulters - they switch their allegiance to Labour - the tax is repealed, but too late to save the government.

39 Long Live the Nanny Goat 357 Jockey Club-sponsored Tote Bill gets government support -l.ife questions the feasibility of a Tote in Hritain - the gre;1t debate - the 'ayes' have it by a short head - of the original Bill only one and a bit lines survive - the search for the best machine ~ the RBCB write off £93,000 (£4m) on dud equipment - most Totes arc manually operated, but prove popular with 2s punters - The l)astard wins at 100-1 - the Tote drops a nought.

40 A New Life 362 Mor!ey-l)rown's shock exit - the 'new' Life prompts his departure - the re-launched paper is a revelation - its rebirth is acclaimed - Chris Towler the new editor - an earthquake at Long Acre ClLHles Packford ('Touch Judge') is barred by the Scottish Rugby Union - Meyrick Good gives the first horserace commentary on radio - George V listens in-minority sports arc not forgotten - betting forecasts and riding arrangements are introduced.

41 Going to the Dogs 371 The evolution of dog racing - first racing with a mechanical hare in 1876 ~ Life man wins the trials CONTENTS XIII

- greyhound raeing proper is born in America -- idea is sold to Gen. Critchley - his track at Iklle Vue, Manchester, opens in 1926 - Rupert, the hair-raising hare - London's \'Vhite City track opens in 1927 - a boom in tracks and crowds - Life sponsors the Greyhound Grand National- it attracts a record crowd of XO,OOO - prices soar in thc greyhound market - Anti-Gambling League attaL,k dog racing - Mick the Miller to the rescue.

42 The Irish Sweeps 3XO The boom in illegal sweepstakes - the Liti' advocates premium bonds - the government prevaricate - Dick Duggan's sweep in aid of Dublin hospitals is outlawed - Duggan runs a Derby 'scheme' through the Life - questions in parliament - ex-IRA man Joe McGrath helps to legalise the Irish Hospitals Sweepstakes - run on three big English races, it's a worldwide success - 75'Yr, of rickets are brought by Brits - the British government impose an import tax on Irish bloodstock and outlaws the Sweep - its boost to Irish hospitals and the Irish Derby.

43 Battling Against The Old Guard 3XX Jockey Club's resistance to change - relentless press campaigns for reform - the bastions begin to crumble - the case for professional stewards - supervision of entries - the Life highlights the case of Hectic - an El Dorado for crooked trainers and compliant officials - the Liti' calls for eH'nlng racing, replacement fixtures, an overnight draw and declarations.

44 A Staff of Experts .~,)4 Meyrick Good, his background and character - his feud with Walter Meeds - Willie Sundring and Sam Long, two other racing stalwarts - Long's formidable tipping record - George \'(';1gsuffe Simmons, former player, FA official, legislator, England manager, administrator and campaigning journalist - Tommy Wisdom's first road race in the Ulster TT - a death at Brooklands -- .lames Milne wins the Powderhall sprint - celebrations muted by death of Chris Towler - tributes- Ben Clements becomes editor.

45 A Wartime Weekly 403 Baron Southwood keeps the Life going - the war's effect on sport - ex-pelts return from the Continent - new columnists include Henry Longhurst (golf) and Olympic 1,500 metres champion Jack Lovelock (athletics) --no racing for three months during the Battle of Britain - the Liti' becomes a weekly - Longhurst writes his column during an air-raid '- the paper pubhshes ID silhouettes of German planes - Cheltenham refuse to stage the Grand National- Newmarket is bombed - four Grand National winning jockeys are killed - George VI's Sun Chariot and Big Game boost nation's morale - the Nazis plunder of French bloodstock - the Americans bomb Longchamp on;1 race-day - Churchill's VE Day broadcast.

46 A Nation in Crisis 41 X Daily publication resumes in 1946 - Liti, is like gold dust - Longhurst returns with 'Links of the Past' - Life changes - Tom Nickalls joins - Bill Munro becomes the new 'Warren Hill' - Aubrey Renwick in the north - the boom in sport - 33 killed in FA Cup tie at Bolton - labour shoruge in racing- girls are taken on in numbers - worst winter in living memory - the energy crisis - the Rd,-il1g Ca/ende//' is suspended - the Life fills in - greyhound racing suspended - mid-week football and rugby banned - Lincoln and National won by 100-1 shots - paper rationing and the Jockev Club's refusal to provide accurate racecards leave the Life short on column inches.

47 Rough Justice 426 hrst trainers to be warned off for doping - Charles Chapman sues the stewards -- his a\\"lrd of XIV THE STORY OF YOUR LIFE

C I(,,()()() ([('40,O()O) IS overturned on appeal - Lord Rosehery hlocks his reinstatement - Cecil Ray IS warned off in 1946 and Jim Russell in 1947 - Russell sues the Cluh hut loses - a vet criticises dopl'-testing methods - a jockey is killed on a 'doped' horse - Bohhy Petre's tragic case - George Alldetl accuses the ~lllthorities of negligence - Munro calls for secure racecourse stabling - the .Iockey Clu h 's rule is contrary to na tural justice - 'Ri nger' Barrie's' harmless dynamite' - Rosebery's rl'sponse - Ernie StlTet another victim - Rosehery says his horse was doped - Street and Allden perition the Queen - 50% of dope tests prove positive - the Cluh continues its policy, regardless,

4S The Nobblers 439 gertie Rogers' suicide - four dopers are jailed - Vincent O'Brien is warned off - Ireland's flexible hws - 'Medicine or Dope?' - Chamour clears O'Brien - Duke of Norfolk's horses are nobbled- Jockey Cluh ask trainers for help - the Norfolk Report - 'No warning off for innocent men'- 'I'i!lto' ~lnd 'Pando' nobhled - Lifi, gets a tip-off and exposes the 'French woman' - Wm Hill offers ~l[IO,()OO reward - Tom Nickalls on a doping - the Countess coup - three arrests are made - the \Vitch Doctor's suicide - 'Roper the Doper' placed bets for Lord Rosehery - all found guilty - the Relko ~lffair - are pardotls due?

49 A Licence to Print Money 453 lkn Cleme!lts retires - his bookmaker bias - credit firms oppose betting shops - the new editor, ()ssle FletL'11er, sees rhings differently - Rab Butler's Betting Bill- he proposes a levy on off-course bookmakers --I-ktcher ~lsks 'is it morally right?' - the Peppiatt committee -licensing authorities give street bookies preference - welshers are granted permits - the Jockey Club's three-day forfeit farce - over11Ight declararions are finally introduced - David Hedges visits a betting office - settlers in demand - betting shop statistics,

50 Ossie's Signings 461 A 'National' scoop b~lckfires -II'C, publishers of the Daily Mirror, rake over Odhams - Fletcher's slglllngs include gossip columnist Gus Dalrymple, Newmarket vet Peter Rossdale, former j\1P Sir !bvld Llewellyn ('lIck Logan') and renowned low-life Jeffrey Bernard - Bernard's 'unpardonable exhibition' e~Hns him his 1'45 - established columnists include John Hislop, breeder of Brigadier CeraI'd -f()mmy Wisdom's tribute to Mike Hawthorn- handicap wizard Dick Whitford joins the te~lm - winners galore as sales soar.

51 A'rrieronNon-Triers 470 An overnight draw is i!ltroduced 34 years after the Life first suggested it - Len Thomas's campaign ~lg~linsr non-triers - he sees them at Windsor, Bath and Ascot - the Littleton Queen affair - a bookmaker's novel suggestion - the Jockey Club make a stand - a horse is 'virtually strangled' at ;\SUlt - the Skvway afbir - Dunlop is fined £500, 14 days for Hutchinson - Duke of Norfolk attacks the stewards - Fletcher applauds the Jockey Club - 'Jack Logan' says Norfolk should apologise- so docs the Queen- and so he docs.

52 The Last Bastion 477 rhe Jockey Club's refusal to recognise women trainers - it imposes restrictions on Norah Wilmot - F]orencl' Nagle responds - so does the public, and Ossie Fletcher, and the Queen - Mrs Nagle LIkes her fight to rhe Court of Appeal- the Jockey Club capitulate - now for women riders - past C~lses - Judy Goodhew IS refused a licence - the Life's Sue Wreford supports the cause - the Jockey Club reconsider - women-only races are approved - a 50-1 shot wins the first - women prove their vvorth and ~He elected to the Club, CONTENTS xv

53 War on Wyatt 4X5 The Tote is saved from bankruptcy - it takes a 45% rake-off from thc Derby pool- Wood 1'0\\ Wutt becomes Tote boss - a new formulae slashes dividends - the Carlisle 'cock-up' - John McCririck exposes after-time betting - Wyatt attacks the Life - Fletcher retaliates - the Home SecreLln is forced to order an inquiry - an Aglionby whitewash - 15 dual forecast dividends were reduced bv 'a very large amount' - Wyatt allegedly reduced Royal Ascot dividends - he admits to L1ising onl' - a Tote client wins £199,000 after owing £225,000 - the Tiltl"s tax evasion- it writes off {XOO,OOO in computer trials - Bill Balshaw, MD of Tote Bookmakers, retires -lviI'S Thatcher supports Wptt - Wyatt wins damages from the Life - McCririck is sacked - Fletcher is honoured - Lord \X\;ltt of Weeford continues as chairman.

54 Anarchy 502 Two years of seismic changes at the fjfe - the tyranny of the print unions -new technologv is tried and a week's production lost - the Sporting Chronicle folds - ,~laxwell buys jvlCN lijl' IS ';In unbearable financial burden' - Eddy Shah's new paper and an embryo Rdcing Post put prl'SSllrl' on Maxwell- new technology tried again - Life is a shambles - Maxwell suspends all MCN titles- an emergency edition - the Maktoums fail to buy the Lijl' and poach its staff instead -;1 clunge of offices, typesetters and printers - \Xlincanton woe - a Lifl'time's barg;lin-- the Post ;llTlves l\]omy Court takes over from Craham Taylor.

55 Courting Success 514 Court, the right man for the job - his journalistic career - a staff of top class opeLltorS some feature writers, columnists and photographers - l'vlonty's usc of photos - his Court Circular column - he taunts the Rdcing Post - the Post has its problems - so too docs the Lill', but nL1jor improvements give it a big circulation lead and a royal plug- Court attacks the Maktoums Lijl' is banned in Dubai - Britain's weighing-room slums - concrete posts - Henrietta LlVistock h;\s her say - horse-ambulances a priority - squalor in racecourse sL\bles and hostels -- Court imeninvs the Princess Royal- the Jockey Club's double standards on doping - Court's s;\fcty campalgns- 'Say not the struggle naught availeth'·- the jockeys thank the Lijl' - tv]omy retires but the Jockev Club has not heard the last of him.

56 Man Overboard 5,~I Mike Callemore's rapid promotion to editor - new technology improves distribution -;\ L11nbow revolution - Charlie Wilson replaces Court as editor-in-chief - his Rottweiler reputation he delegates to Alastair Down rather than the editor - Down's team of news reporters -- C;;\llemore's usc of supplements - Michael Pope's tales - Maxwell goes overboard - did he jump or IV;lS he pushed? - Gallemore a pension fund trustee - David l\;iontgomery is appoimed as lyl(, N chief executive - his cull of journalists - Gallemore is sacked - Wilson appoints '[(lm Clarke ;\S editor.

57 A New Broom '14] Clarke's credentials - his drive to 'clean out the stables' - staff changes since Court's davs (:Ll1,ke's bizarre memos - he enlists big-name columnists - Martin Pipe, Henry Cecil, lylark Johnston, Peter Savill, et al join the team- Mark Winstanley debags the bookies - the move to emary Wh;nf- the Jockey Club relinquish its powers to the BHB - evening opening of betting shops - Introduction of Sunday racing and summer jumping - is tht::re too much racing? - long-priced winners for the sports betting team - the Lifl' loses ground to the Post. XVI THE STORY OF YOUR LIFE

S8 The Final Nail S51 -I he Reader-Friendly Lifi, outrages the bookies - the Racing Post is delighted - it brings out a betting shop edition - the Lili' follows suit - the big three sign up with the Post - the Life's 'Power to the 1'1Illters' campaign - a 30';{, fall in sales in 12 months - the Post takes over as market leader - secret ncgotiations result in MGN buying the Post for £1 - the monopoly costs the Life its title - Charlie \,\'ilson retin:s a rich man -lions led by donkeys.

59 Who's a Liar Then? 558 ,Il>p Cees WillS Chester Cup - the Lifi' accuses the Ramsdens and K ieren Fallon of cheating - David Ashforth as court observer - Jim McGrath v Jack Ramsden - 'Top Cees should have won the Swaffham' - Lynda Ramsden accuses stipes of a witch hunt - Clarke and Down give evidence- Derek Thompson says Fallon told him he stopped Top Cees - Fallon says Tommo is lying - the judge warns against Thompson's evidence - Mrs Ramsden is exonerated - the jjfe pays damages 'lIld costs - Cheltenham racegoers and Life readers give their verdict

60 The Wake 568 jvlontgomery's letter to Bob Betts - Clarke's SOp letter - the mourners gather - two men who sp'lIlned a century 'IS' Man on the Spot' - the copy-takers and the old boys -' Augur' signs off with '1 winnllig n'lp - the greyhound world pays its tribute - so does the national press - a hangover for Montgomery - an aborted re-Iaunch - a fitting obituary.

Sou rces 577 BibliogLlphy 58S Gloss'H} S89 Index 591 Chronology 609