a very important book.

​‘BRIGADIER GERARD AND ME’,
BY LAURIE WILLIAMSON.

Let me start by one of the only criticisms I have of this book. Like the majority of self-published books, and this applies to me every bit as it applies to Laurie Williamson, this is a book sorely in need of a professional editor and proof-reader. 
The tag-line of the book is ‘A Personal Journey Through Horse Racing’. This is stretching a point somewhat as it is first and foremost a biography of a horse, Brigadier Gerard, and secondly it is a blistering attack on ratings and the people who compile ratings. Laurie Williamson, if you are not aware, was the ‘lad’ who looked after Brigadier Gerard throughout his career. Indeed, when the Brigadier was retired, Laurie Williamson took his leave from the sport. Any horse after ‘the greatest ever flat racehorse’ was always going to be an example of ‘after the Lord Mayor’s Show’. His departure from West Ilsley had ramifications that only add to the disrespect John Hislop earned for himself during his lifetime. You must read the book to appreciate the meaning of the word ungrateful and the phrase meanness of spirit,
Because of this book, I now have in my racing library books by or concerning the owner, trainer, jockey and stable lad, of Brigadier Gerard. Four books that must now sit side-by-side on the shelf.
Because this book is self-published, with a good amount of the pages taken up in criticism of Timeform, the handicappers at the B.H.A. and individual journalists when the author believes Brigadier Gerard is not accorded the respect he deserves, the book will not receive the glowing reviews  it richly deserves. I was once told by a well-known racing author (alright, I’ll name him, Sean Magee) that every book needs mud on the page to sell. This book has dollops of mud. Laurie Williamson has an axe to grind and boy does he do a good job of it. And he does it with facts, lots of them, and long-lived sentiment. He loved the Brigadier and this book is his quest to have him remembered as the ‘greatest of all-time’.
Although I am 100% on his side when it comes to Brigadier Gerard, I do not agree with his evaluation of Frankel. The data and charts he uses to prove his point are impressive and really unarguable. It is simply that the heart has as much to do with the awarding of greatness as the head. I was not, in retrospect (and this is where ratings, to use my terminology, are bollocks) blown away by Frankel’s 2,000 Guineas win. He beat nothing worthy of Group I with ease. Indeed, throughout his career Frankel beat no horse of any great merit. In beating Mishriff, Baaeed has achieved more than Frankel. But, and it is a very big but, in winning the International at York he made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end and flat horses do not ordinarily do that to me. My heart told me that Frankel had been, up to that day, been running over the wrong trip.
I also have a bias against 3-year-olds being given the accolade of greatness. But that’s a whole different topic.
I will not steal Laurie Williamson’s thunder by reciting here the data and facts he uses to prove his point, though as an appetiser I will give you the startling fact that between them Nijinsky, Dancing Brave, Frankel and Sea the Stars broke fewer course records than Mill Reef on his own and only equalled Brigadier Gerard’s score. 3 to Mill Reef, 2 to Brigadier Gerard and the four horses people have the temerity to suggest were superior to Mill Reef and Brigadier Gerard.
This book is worth buying if only for the charts and data provided by the author.
As with practically everyone, the author has hardly a kind word to say about John and Jean Hislop, though Dick Hern comes out of the book well and Joe Mercer especially so.
I loved this book and you will too if you forgive the misplaced commas. Of course, this book is written with as much bias as affection and I love that too about the book. Obviously, I cannot know if the manuscript of this book was offered to Racing Post Books but if it was and they turned it down they should consider contacting Laurie Williamson to offer the services of an editor and proof-reader. Everyone with an interest in horse racing should buy this book, even those firmly of the belief that a horse other than Brigadier Gerard should be accorded the honour of ‘greatest of all-time’.
I highly recommend this book. A worthy addition to the library of horse racing history.