Page 36 - December 2005 The Game

36 The Game, December 2005 Your Thoroughbred Racing Community Newspaper
Dick Francis: Stories that Gallop Like Thoroughbreds
By Peter Gross
There's been something missing from my birthday and Christmas the last few years. No neatly wrapped Dick Francis novel. For close to twenty years, my friends and family knew they couldn't miss by giving me the latest Francis racing thriller, but after 39 books, Francis has said no more.
Dick and his wife and collaborator Mary made a decision five summers ago, a period in time that was sad for Dick Francis fans and even sadder for the novelist himself.
"We had decided in August of 2000 that Shattered would be our last," says Francis, now 84, "After all it was 39 novels. You've got to stop sometime and then Mary died in September."
Francis was a top-notch jockey in England for many years, piling up 350 wins over the jumps. But in spite of his ability to get his horses home first, Francis is best known for his ride on Devon Loch in the 1956 Grand National Steeplechase. Devon Loch was owned by the Queen Mother and was nearing the finish line with a comfortable lead when, inexplica- bly he threw out his front legs and went for a four-legged slide on the turf, while the field caught up and passed.
Francis was mortified, but believes that remarkable event led to his lucrative career at the typewriter.
"My mother knew a Mrs Johnson in London. Her son John Johnson was a literary agent. At my mother's apartment one day he saw a photograph of the Devon Loch affair and he asked, 'has he ever thought about writing his autobiography?' I had lunch with him and he said, 'You have a wonderful peg on which to hang your autobiography.'"
Francis, at first, was a little reluctant, but his wife, Mary, a skilled writer herself, persuaded him to give it a try.
"Mary turned to me and said, 'Go on, you're always writing letters to people, I'll help with the spelling and English,' and
that's how it started."
The typical Dick Francis novel is
written in the first person and the central figure is always heroic, fiercely determined and rarely discouraged by the miserable acts of the evil miscreants who resent his meddling in their nefarious deeds. Francis says the characters are only a vague extension of himself.
"They're not completely auto- biographical," he tells me over the phone from his home on the Grand Cayman Island, "Though I've led a wonderful life and I've been knocked about a bit in racing falls, and I kept coming back."
Francis knew as a jockey that a good start was fundamental in a horse race and he applies that brilliantly to his books. In a matter of words on the first page, the reader is immediately drawn in. Consider the following starts to Francis novels:
From In The Frame: I stood on the outside of disaster, looking in.
From To The Hilt: I don't think my grandfather much minded dying. That he almost took me with him wasn't really his fault.
From Straight: I inherited my brother's life and it nearly killed me.
From Reflex: Wounded and coughing, I lay on one elbow and spat out a mouthful of grass and mud.
From Knockdown: Mrs. Kerry Sanders looked like no Angel of Death.
From Nerve: Art Mathews shot himself loudly and messily in the centre of the parade ring at Dunstable races
From Driving Force: I had told my drivers, never on any account to pick up a hitchhiker, but of course, one day they did and by the time they reached my home, he was dead.
From Odds Against: I was never particularly keen on my job before the day I got shot.
From Bonecrack: They both wore thin rubber masks.
Wonderful beginnings all, like a perfectly readied racehorse bursting on cue
from the gate. And his endings aren't too bad as well. For a great emotional jolt, read Decider and marvel at the impact of the final sentence.
Although it seems like a blessed life, writing one book a year and in most cases, for a considerable advance from the publisher, Francis insists it was often a gruelling exercise. Many of his works feature the hero in a specific environment. In some of the books, the protagonist is a jockey, or former
jockey or injured jockey, a milieu that Francis is obviously comfortable with, but he's also made his character a glass blower, oil painter, TV Weathercaster, private detective, transport driver, movie star and even a pilot who gets to fly millionaire bettors from track to track.
"You have to do your research and keep your mind on the story for a long time," says Francis, "In some ways it's harder than having a baby. The baby takes 9 months - the story takes 12."
When I told him my two favourite books were Banker and Hot Money, Francis seemed to agree that those two rank near the top of his list as well.
"I knew a banker in England. I saw him one day at Cheltenham races. He'd asked me up to his box and said, 'When are you going to write a book about banking' and I thought there's an idea there. I might be able to write a book about banks sponsoring stallions."
And Hot Money is his most humourous book; a tale of a wealthy patriarch who starts to spend his millions in extravagant ways to ferret out the ex-wife or disagreeable child who is trying to kill him for an inheritance.
I suggest a big budget movie with Michael Caine as the father, Tracy Ullman, Jane Fonda and Angelica Huston as the former spouses and any number of Anjelina Jolie, Adam Sandler, Mike Myers, Geri Haliwell, Hugh Grant, Nicole Kidman and Kylie Minogue as the money-grubbing offspring.
"The Pembroke Family," chuckles Francis, " I knew a family similar to that." Francis has travelled the world for
racing and writing assignments and remembers fondly his visits to Canada.
"I was at Woodbine with the Queen Mother about 20 years ago. It's a lovely track. I was accepted into the stewards' environment. I even went to the racetrack in Vancouver, Exhibition Park. When I wrote The Edge, the publishers put on a promotional train trip across Canada. I saw Lake Louise
and we stopped at Calgary and Vancouver. It was fabulous."
Francis is not a big fan of the state of horseracing today. The slots and all the satellite feeds make him feel the essence of the game is being neglected.
"Well, it's much more a business and less of a sport than when I was riding," he says seriously, "I find it a disturbing trend. I think people just want to make money rather than enjoy the pleasure of watching good horseflesh galloping around."
If you've never read a Dick Francis mystery, you're luckier than the guy hold- ing a live ticket into the last leg of the Super Seven, because there's as many as 39 thrills sitting on a shelf at your local book- store. They're a lot like that famous potato chip.
Bet you can't read just one.
He’s Come A Long Way
Author Dick Francis
Did You Know....
That a new foundation in the U.S., The National Turf Foundation, was
formed to assist jockeys and exercise riders who suffer serious injuries. After the termination of the Jockeys’ Guild’s Disabled Jockeys’ Fund, the new foundation was formed and will offer financial aid, support, and assistance and will coordinate avail- able federal, state and community benefits which are available.
Did You Know....
That the U.S. division of Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm has become a
sponsor of the $350,000 Gr.1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct.
The 17th running of the race, now named the Hill ‘n’ Dale Cigar Mile
ran November 26, 2005 with the Todd Pletcher trained, Purge,
By Susan Parker
His Regency was such a good feeling gelding that when he was in training he could not be put on the hotwalker for fear he would injure himself or others. His walks to and from the racetrack was always in the company of the barn pony.
Purchased as a two-year old, by David Bell and Susan Parker, from Mr.. John Franks, the Native Regent son showed much promise on the turf. Unlucky in his starts, he was never able to break his maiden, but provided heart-stopping finishes for his stable.
At the end of his fourth year, his owners decided to take the very athletic thoroughbred to Susan Parker's show trainers to try his hoof at jumping.
Christine Smith-Avery and her daughters, Natasha and Alyssa have made many ponies and horses into top "A" circuit competitors. His Regency has followed along in the stable's suc- cess. He finished 6th in the zone out of 74 horses on the Ontario "A" Circuit in the Junior/Amateur Section 1 Division. (Therefore to receive a year end award for the top 10).
It is quite an accomplishment in such a short time. His junior rider Natasha is only 16 and the long-legged thoroughbred had difficulty with the tights turns. She gave him patient and confident
rides teaching him to use his talent to negotiate the courses. Shown in a simple rubber D-bit and running martingale, we laugh when he comes out of the ring looking for mints. He sure has come a long way from clearing the shedrows during the morn-
ings.
"His Regency" at the Collingwood Horse Show this summer, rider Natasha Smith-Avery. Photo by ActionPix.
winning the race.