Last Hurrah

The 21st century has not been kind to thoroughbred horse racing. The once-mighty Sport of Kings has struggled to hold on to its fan base and betting revenue source in the face of competition from casinos, lotteries, and online gaming. Indeed, today the annual foal crop is half what it was during the heady 1970s and 80s, prizemoney has been drastically reduced, iconic farms are being sold, and racetracks are closing...

Bluegrass Kentucky

Summoned home unexpectedly from Europe, Tom Fraser, an aspiring amateur steeplechase jockey, discovers that his father has perished in a fire along with a prized broodmare, and his family's farm, Caledonia, is now owned by mysterious Venezuelan billionaire, Hector Delmontez.

Pitched into a police investigation of not only his father's apparent murder, but Delmontez's involvement in narcotics, money laundering, and insurance fraud, Tom and an unlikely supporting cast find themselves on a daunting journey that takes them from Lexington, Kentucky, to the pomp of Royal Ascot; from the glitter of Dubai to the cutting-edge tech world of Bangalore, and all the way, via the charms of Woodbine and Saratoga racetracks, to the iconic Twin Spires of Churchill Downs - with a shot to run for the roses.

Bob Fraser dealt his son his last card. How Tom plays it will determine his destiny.

Robin Dawson, born in India (1954) and educated in England, at Eton College, set off in 1971 to explore the world of horse racing, working for some of the finest horsemen in the UK (Sir Noel Murless), France (Alec Head), USA, and Canada, before training a small stable briefly in Canada. In 1996 he won an Eclipse Award (USA) for a broadcast on 'The use of the whip in horse racing' and has covered the sport on radio (The FAN 590, Toronto), TV (TRNI and Breeders' Cup simulcast), and in print (National Post, Canada). This experience, working within an enigmatic and often murky world, and subsequent perspective as a journalist observing from the outside, is unique. Robin lives in Toronto, Canada, and has a stepson, Noel, who is a racetrack veterinarian in the USA.