High stakes - Dick Francis

With a glass of champagne in one hand and binoculars in the other, the world of racing could seem a very cosy and civilized hobby. Especially when your horse has just sprinted past the winning post.

But the pleasure of a day at Sandown is spoiled for Steven Scott when he sacks the trainer of his horses, a man he once thought of as a friend. For although on the surface Jody Leeds is a bright young workaholic, Scott suspects he's a crook.

Racing may have its rewards but, as Scott finds out to his own cost, not all of them are innocent... or legal.