British author Dick Francis comes from a long line of Welsh horsemen. His father was a former jockey and a successful trainer. Although his father discouraged his interest in becoming a jockey, Francis signed up with a stable at the age of eighteen. Francis, however, did not have an opportunity to race before the outbreak of World War II. He became an Air Force pilot, flying Spitfires and then bombers, before returning to England to become a jockey in 1946. He won between 350 and 400 races and suffered from a variety of injuries during his career. He was England's champion jockey in 1954, and in 1957 he was a jockey for the Queen Mother's horse Devon Loch in the Grand National. The horse stumbled in the last stretch and was unable to recover. After this great disappointment, Francis retired from his career as a steeplechase jockey. Hired to fly four racing buffs to the track, pilot Matt Shore expects it will be the kind of job he likes: quick and easy. Matt Shore is a substitute pilot with a struggling air-taxi charter firm flying racing people to the course and back again. His passengers are nervous, but Matt's not. Until he’s forced to make an emergency landing just minutes before the plane explodes. Matt doesn't think anything else can possibly go wrong. Luckily, no one is hurt, but it isn’t long before Matt realizes that he’s caught up in the rat race of violent criminals. Danger puts him on the wrong side of the odds… You can listen online to free English audiobook “Rat Race” by Dick Francis on our website. Enjoy it!
