Dick Francis

Richard Stanley "Dick" Francis (31 October 1920 – 14 February 2010) was an Welsh horse racing crime writer and retired jockey.


Francis was born in Pembrokeshire, Wales.He was the son of a jockey(human, who rides horses in horse racing) and stable manager. He left school at 15 without any qualifications, with the intention of becoming a jockey and became a trainer in 1938.
During World War II, he served in the Royal Air Force, piloting fighter and bomber aircraft. After leaving the RAF in 1946, Francis became a celebrity in the world of British National Hunt racing. He won over 350 races, becoming champion jockey in the 1953–54 season. From 1953 to 1957 he was jockey to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.
Francis wrote more than 40 international bestsellers. His first book was his autobiography The Sport of Queens (1957) which led to him becoming the racing correspondent for London's Sunday Express newspaper, remaining in the job for 16 years.






http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Francis