Review - Kirkby man's racing gem

10:56am Tuesday 22nd April 2008

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KIRKBY Lonsdale-based horseracing expert Mark Howard has come up with another "must have" annual in his 'Ahead on the Flat" - the top flat horses to follow for 2008.

Now aged 33, Mark has been producing his annuals for both flat and jump racing for 15 years and during that time he has worked on TV for Racing UK and Attheraces.

He also contributes to the Racing Post Weekender and is the Racing and Football Outlook pundit Borderer in that paper.

This year's annual again features top trainers talking about their prospects for the coming this season.

That Mark has been able to get the esteemed views of John Gosden, Henry Cecil, Luca Cumani, Mark Johnston among others speaks volumes about his standing in the sport.

In addition, Mark who has visited most of the leading stables in the country selects his usual Top 40 Prospects, and there is also usual news of possible leading contenders from Ireland and France.

It's is a measure of the craft, research and general excellence Mark invests in his annuals, that it has forced the competition like Timeform to "up" its game in their similar product.

Mark's annual wins that contest by a canter because of his ability to convey a real sense of appreciation about the horses he writes about. They are always interesting, unique characters in themselves and never seen as pure gambling fodder.

Even so, if you had this annual in your possession early-season winners like Infallible, Twice Over, Phoenix Tower, Stevie Gee and Tighnabruaich would have been identifiable - and all the Classics still lie ahead!

Anyone who loves the sport can look forward to hours of satisying "genning up" from this pocket-sized book, which at £6.99 remains the leader in its field.

It is available from W. H. Smiths or by contacting Mark Howard Publications, 69 Fairgarth Drive, Kirkby Lonsdale, Carnforth, Lancashire LA6 2FB (go to www.mhpublications.co.uk for details).