“Racing is about far more than the two minutes a race may last”, says former trainer Ian Wood whose book DoubleHandful, is an A–Z of horseracing

People often say that horseracing is difficult to understand. From racecards and handicaps to declarations, syndicates and the language used by commentators, it can sometimes feel like a sport that expects everyone to know the rules before they arrive.

Having spent 12 years as a racehorse trainer and trained almost 250 winners, I came to realise that this isn’t because racing is complicated—it is because so much of its knowledge is simply taken for granted by those who work within it every day.

Throughout my years in racing, I met owners experiencing their first runner, racegoers attending their first meeting and people who were genuinely fascinated by horses but found themselves overwhelmed by unfamiliar terminology and traditions. They were enthusiastic to learn, but there wasn’t one practical guide that brought everything together in a straightforward and accessible way.

Sweet Return, affectionately known as “Archie”, was one of the best horses Ian Wood trained and later won three Grade 1 races in the United States

The guide I felt was missing

That thought stayed with me long after I left training, and it eventually became the inspiration for DoubleHandful – A Stride-by-Stride Guide to Horseracing.

Rather than writing another book filled with famous races or great champions, I wanted to create the guide that I felt was missing -a book that explains the sport from the inside, in plain English, drawing on real experience rather than theory.

The book is arranged in an easy-to-use A–Z format so that readers can dip into any subject that interests them. It explains how to read a racecard, understand betting terminology, appreciate race tactics, recognise the roles of trainers, jockeys and stable staff, and gain an insight into ownership, breeding, welfare, syndicates, partnerships and racing clubs.

It is designed to be a companion that readers can return to time and again, whether they are preparing for a day at the races or watching from home.

The front cover of DoubleHandful – A Stride-by-Stride Guide to Horseracing by Ian Wood

More than the race itself

One aspect that was particularly important to me was showing that racing is about far more than the two minutes a race may last.

Behind every horse is a remarkable team of people whose dedication often goes unnoticed. Stable staff begin work long before dawn; vets and farriers help keep horses healthy; transporters travel the length of the country; racecourse teams prepare venues in all weathers, and countless volunteers and charities work tirelessly to support both people and horses throughout and beyond their racing careers.

These are the people who help make racing what it is today.

Racing’s wider contribution

Racing Together plays a unique role in demonstrating the wider value of racing by connecting the sport with local communities, schools, charities and good causes across the country. Those connections are enormously important because they show that racing contributes far beyond the racecourse itself.

If DoubleHandful succeeds in one thing, I hope it helps make horseracing feel more welcoming.

The sport has so much to offer, but it can sometimes appear intimidating to newcomers, simply because nobody has explained how everything fits together. Once people understand the basics, they often discover a sport rich in skill, dedication, history and teamwork.

My hope is that readers finish the book with greater confidence and, perhaps more importantly, a greater appreciation of everyone who helps make horseracing possible.

If that encourages more people to become lifelong followers of the sport, then I will feel the book has achieved exactly what I set out to do.

To purchase your copy of DoubleHandful – A Stride-by-Stride Guide to Horseracing, click here.