He had a successful career as a jockey, winning over 350 races. From 1953 to 1957 he was jockey to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. He was forced to retire from racing as the result of a serious fall in 1957. His most famous moment as a jockey came while riding the Queen Mother's horse, Devon Loch[?], in the 1956 Grand National: the horse inexplicably fell when close to winning the race.
His first book was his autobiography, The Sport of Queens[?] (1957), which led to him becoming the racing correspondent for the London Sunday Express, a position he held for 16 years. In 1962, he published his first thriller, Dead Cert, which was set in the world of racing. Since then he has written over 30 more books. Although all his books have been set against a background of racing, his heroes have held a variety of jobs, from artist (To the Hilt) to private investigator (Odds Against).
An unauthorised biography, Dick Francis: A Racing Life, suggested that the books had in fact been written by Mary, Dick Francis's wife. [1] (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/482502.stm)
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