The Chosen Few

Who are the greatest Australian racehorses of all time -- and what qualifies them for that honor? Racing enthusiast and award-winning writer Andrew Rule has the answers. In The Chosen Few, he profiles the giants who transcend the sport, who broke records and captured hearts. From nineteenth-century legends like Carbine and Malua to twentieth-century icons such as Tulloch and Phar?Lap, and into our own time with Winx and Black?Caviar, Rule explores the thrilling challenge of comparing greatness across eras. Too big to be a jockey and too small to be a mounted policeman, Rule has nevertheless spent his life around horses and the people who love them. In his book, he brings together sprinters, stayers, freakish all-round competitors, and the stories behind them -- their triumphs, the myths they inspired, and the mistakes that dogged them. The result is a collection of stories about beauty and bravery, speed and greed, and the pure power of the racehorse. Praise for The Chosen Few: "Irresistible for lovers of horse racing; essential for anyone interested in the eminence of the horse in Australian history and the human heart." - Don Watson "I've read many books about champion racehorses, but this is one of the very few written by a champion writer." - Gerald Murnane "To not only choose, but write entertainingly and informatively about Australia and New Zealand's top racehorses of all times, is no small ambition... Rule gives us the history of 10 magnificent horses." - Candida Baker "Household names of the turf brought vividly to life by horseman and writer Andrew Rule." - Gerard Whateley