The Sport of Kings

TheSportofKingsisanethnographyoftheBritishracingindustrybasedupontwoyearsofparticipantobservationinNewmarket,theinternationalheadquartersofflatracing.RacinginBritainprovidesalensthroughwhichideasofclass,status,traditionandhierarchycanbeexaminedinanenvironmentwhichisbothsuperficiallyfamiliarandrichlyexotic.Thisbookexploresconceptsabout'nature'specifictothoroughbredracehorsebreeding,andpursuestheideathatinmakingstatementsaboutanimals,werevealsomethingofourselves.Itexplainstheactionthattakesplaceonracecourses,intrainingyards,onstudsandatbloodstockauctions.Itanalysestheconsumptionofracingthroughbettingontheracecourseandinbettingshops,anditproffersaninsightfuldescriptionofauniqueclasssystem:thatofthehumansandanimalsinvolvedintheproductionofBritishflatracing.