Lifeline - John Francome

20/20 Edition - Headline 20th Anniversary Edition

The classic racing thriller from the legendary jockey

Unlike some jockeys, Tony Byrne has never taken a bung and never ridden a dishonest race. All the same, his career is heading for the rocks, dragged down by weight problems and woman trouble - and too many slow horses. In comparison, Freddy Montague has never been fussy about sticking to the rules, either on the racetrack or in bed with another man's wife. And if there's money on offer to fix races, Freddy's guaranteed to be first on the gravy train. Unfortunately for both men, the guarantees run out once Freddy's train comes off the rails. That's when the gravy turns to blood...

Ex-National Hunt Champion Jockey John Francome is a broadcaster on racing for Channel 4 and has established himself as one of the front runners in the racing thriller stakes. He lives in Berkshire.