The Demon

About the Book

The finest jockey rider on the English turf during the nineteenth century was George Fordham—lauded throughout the sport as the Demon. Such was the judgment of his contemporaries from jockeys and trainers to owners and chroniclers. Yet history has not been kind to Fordham. Fate saw his career overshadowed by that of bitter rival Fred Archer, a jockey deemed his inferior but whose suicide invoked immortality. The question remains: if Archer is fit to be mentioned in the same breath as twentieth-century icons Gordon Richards and Lester Piggott, just how good a jockey does that make the unsung George Fordham? Acclaimed turf historian Michael Tanner shines a light on the life of this remarkable jockey and places him at long last atop the pedestal he deserves.

About the Author

Michael Tanner was born and educated in Oxford. After attending Littlemore Grammar School he went up to St Edmund Hall where in addition to taking his degree he represented the University numerous times on the rugby field. He was a schoolmaster for 18 years prior to becoming a critically acclaimed and award -nominated author specializing in sport and history. Besides contributing features across the print media, he has been involved with radio and television at both local and national level. The Demon is his 27th book. He now lives in Lincolnshire.