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Under Orders: The Diary of a Racehorse Owner's Husband

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When John Timpson, chairman of the eponymous high street chain, bought his wife Alex a racehorse in 2002, a friend commented that it would be 'a marvellous way to lose money'.
Soon they were immersed in a world of trainers' yards, Novice Hurdles and handicaps, and well on the way to proving the old adage that the best way to make a small fortune is to start with a larger one, and buy a few racehorses.
As the number of horses increased and Alex became a well-loved figure on the racing scene, John kept a diary of their experiences on and off the track. This witty book describes how racing brought something extra into their marriage – from Mondays at Ludlow to the Cheltenham Festival. It documents the wins, near misses, disappointments and occasional tragedies that make up a racing career – not to mention the friends made, the knowledge gained and the sheer thrill of it all. 
Under Orders is a joyous and humorous portrait of horseracing in Britain and a tribute to the owners whose dedication and enthusiasm make the whole thing possible.
Sales of the book will raise money for the Injured Jockeys Fund.

324 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 6, 2016

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About the author

John Timpson

67 books3 followers
John Harry Robert Timpson OBE was a British journalist, best known as a radio presenter.

His experiences in broadcasting provided Timpson with material for several books: "Today and Yesterday" (1976), "The Lighter Side of Today" (1983) and "The Early Morning Book" (1986). After his retirement from the BBC he returned to Norfolk and continued writing, especially about England and East Anglia in particular. These included a novel "Paper Trail" published in 1989 and two works on the quirks and oddities of English life - "Timpson's England" (1987) and "Timpson's Towns" (1989). Subsequent books included "Timpson’s English Villages" (1992), "Timpson’s Other England (1993)", "Timpson’s English Country Inns" (1995) and "Timpson on the Verge" (2002).

In 1987 he was awarded an OBE for his services to broadcasting.

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