The Sound of Distant Cheering

by Desi
(Montreal)

From Amazon:

Rosy Weeks works as a 'lad' for racehorse trainer Jeremy Cutbush, a former champion jockey whose career in the saddle was ended by a bad accident which left him with a crushed pelvis. Rosy has two great loves in her life, horses, and the morose Jeremy, who barely notices her. The Cutbush stables have seen better days, and are now somewhat run down. But hope comes with a new, rich, owner, Mr Hawkins, who brings some valuable stallions to the stables, and also buys the horse Rosy loves the most, her adored Roly Fox.

Jeremy's eccentric grandmother, Letitia Cutbush, owns a valuable mare, Silverfish, who takes a fancy to one of Mr Hawkins's prize stallions, Peppermill, who is soon to be gelded. Rosy conceives the daring plan of using Peppermill to impregnant Silverbrush, and produce a winner. She and her friend Gin carry out their plan with the connivance of Letitia, and are overjoyed when it works and Silverfish proves to be in foal. But Rosy has other things to worry about, like Mr Hawkins's treatment of her beloved Roly Fox, and unscrupulous, glamorous neighbor Grace Maddox, who seems to be intent on capturing Jeremy's interest.

This is an exciting, satisfying story of love and horses, with lots of authentic and convincing detail about the world of horse training and racing, and some likeable and interesting characters. I would recommend it to anyone who likes horses.