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Book Review


Some you Win

by Julian Wilson

So looks really are deceptive. Despite looking like a bookish college don or a minor civil servant, the skinny, sallow, author emerges by his own account as 7lb ahead of Casanova in the Lothario Handicap.

The product of a devoted saintly mother and an absent hedonistic father (the sports journalist Peter Wilson), Julian catalogues his many conquests of the fair sex with unbridled relish. Despite his serious demeanor, he seems to have spent much time, not deep in the Form Book, but out enjoying himself with the wine, women and songs. By naming so many of his ladies he shows that he is not quite a “gentleman” after all!

However, his account of his life and career is extremely candid and one can but admire his energy and truthfulness. He dwells too long on his childhood, school-days and especially his own sporting abilities (which seem to have been too modest to justify such expositions), but his racing and betting exploits are fascinating and his struggles at the BBC convey the tension he felt as racing was neglected by his bosses.

Julian once said of his betting - If I had two losing years, I’d give up. There are many talks of the agony and the ecstasy of serious punting. When asked to execute a £5,000 E.W. commission at 33/1 for the owner of subsequent Oaks winner, User Friendly, the logistics of placing so large a sum proved impossible. So he missed out on the chance of a lifetime. However, Julian was on Derby winner Shergar at 33/1 and his fearless punting proved profitable in the long run.

Despite being a consummate racing presenter of his generation, he was often unappreciated by sections of the BBC - in earlier years playing second fiddle to David Coleman and latterly to Sue Barker, and having Clare Balding foisted upon him. No doubt viewed as too aloof and lacking the common touch to appeal to the mass audience, he bravely battled to keep racing in high profile on the BBC. But sadly his grievance against Peter O’Sullevan for delaying his retirement, and hence preventing Julian’s promotion to lead commentator, is self-deluding. He fails to appreciate there are better commentators than him, but does not find comfort in being the ace presenter - his true forté.

Despite his self-obsession, Julian has written a fluent account of his eventful life. It is always entertaining and he emerges as a brave, independent observer of the racing scene, and certainly the most under-rated of BBC broadcasters.

Review by ‘Rising Falcon’.
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