In 1955, Reg Gill, milkman and part-time illegal bookie, took his 12-year-old son Roy to the spring meeting at Epsom Downs.

It was an outing that started a life-long passion for racing and set Roy on a mission to visit every racecourse in Britain and Ireland. The journey that began a half-century ago at Epsom ended at Tralee in 1992.

A number of the racecourses visited have since closed, Tralee included, some have moved their location, but every racecourse he visited is vividly recalled in this very personal and highly readable account.

The book’s sub-title ’A Journey Round the Racecourse of the British Isles’ may not go down well with Irish readers but if you can overlook that line you will find that the author has paid his respects to Irish racing, There are some great old racing photos - and new ones too - and Gill manages to unearth a few yarns and facts about each track, many of which you probably have not heard before.

For example, did you know that the meeting held at Newcastlewest in Co Limerick in 1867 witnessed “appalling scenes of drunkenness and the horrific murder of a child by its father.” Or that 1980s star chaser Buck House is reportedly buried at Thurles. Apparently Gill worked with local historians to gain information on each racecourse and didn’t simply copy facts and figures off websites, nor did he treat local legends as gospel.

Most racecourses get two pages in this book but others, such as Bellewstown and Wexford, only get one page. There are 13 pages dedicated to Cheltenham, nine to Aintree, and so on. Gill has gone to great lengths to keep the book right up to-date - the Ballinrobe pages include news of the track extension added last year.

Described as “a veritable encyclopaedia of racing”, the book is certainly an enjoyable read and the hardback version represents fair value at £38. It would make a lovely present for the racing buff in your life or you might like to add it to your own collection.

From Epsom to Tralee is beautifully illustrated with contemporary and archive photographs (many of them previously unseen and unpublished), illustrations and fascinating items of racing memorabilia.

Told with humour and passion, this entertaining and informative work is essential reading for all lovers of the Turf.

From Epsom to Tralee by Roy Gill will be published by Medina Publishing on March 5th, 2015.

Price: £38 (hardback). Paperback version is planned for the future.

Web: medinapublishing.com

Tel: 0044 208 3997736