An impersonal account
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Timmy is undoubtedly a very skilled jockey with a style of his own. Over the years he has given some horses splendid rides. What is disappointing about this book is how little he recalls of those horses, or the ones he gave terrible rides to. Whether his alcohol fuelled life erased the memories or he has chosen not to include them is not known. The book is well written, but lacks the personal touch, it is obviously ghosted. You cannot imagine Timmy actually saying much of what is written. I would have liked for more thoughts from the heart. In the end we still know very little about this man, and he does not come across as someone you could warm to. His finest and his lowest hours are dealt with in the same unfeeling manner. I was left thinking he still needs to do some growing up, something is missing - as it is in this account of his life, his demons and his resurrection. If you want to know about his humble beginnings, his family and his battle with drink then this will be a good read but you will find little of the horses he has ridden. This was surprising to me as judging by his riding I had thought he had more empathy with the animals themselves.
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BEST RACING AUTOBIOGRAPHY SO FAR
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I read this book cover to cover in 48 hours, staying up well into early morning, thinking just one more chapter that turned into two then three... Its starts in the court room, then goes back into his early life to present day. Timmy writes honest about his life, about the good and the bad. my deepest sympathy for his first pony Bluebell, who Timmy practised races on ( Who Hasn't?!). Then to working in yards trying to get rides and his breaks, then the fall and the true account of prison. Up to recently i have thought that being an alcoholic would be hard and that people that are have choices. My reviewed opinion is that getting to be an alcoholic is very easy ( i often head for the pub, after a bad day at work ) and being sober is very hard. The autobiography is very good reading compared to Tony McCoy and Richard Johnson which are quite ordinary in comparison. I may even have a flutter on Timmy Murphy ride in the Grand National.
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