Whipping-Boys

The author of several books on horse racing, Magee suggests that the racing press is becoming more independent-minded - and that it is not before time. "For too long reporting events on the turf relied on a culture of dependency rivalled only by the media coverage of fashion and of motoring," he believes. "In horse racing, journalists can operate only if the participants - owners, trainers, jockeys, and it is not unknown for a scribe desperate for an angle to interview the horse - are willing to communicate with them. Break that connection, and the major source of stories dries up." Magee presents his views on racing journalism - straight from the horse's mouth.