The Dick Francis Thriller: The Racing Game

Seabury racecourse suffers a series of mysterious mishaps. Someone seems to be planning a takeover and will stop at nothing, not even murder. For his first case following his injury, Sid Halley relies on his friend, karate pro Chico Barnes, to help him save the track and find his feet as a gumshoe.

In the high-stakes sport of horse racing, the rich only want to get richer. As Sid learns to use his new prosthetic hand, he and Chico investigate why a winning horse keeps losing to long shots. They uncover race fixing, blackmail, and murder and realize that nothing is what it seems.

When a valuable horse dies in a suspicious road accident, Sid and Chico are hired to investigate a possible insurance scam. They unearth an international swindle, meet a beautiful woman who bets on a losing mare, and travel to Milan to discover the truth.

A long shot comes home first, and a bookie loses big. Sid and Chico discover a complex scheme for fixing bets, a web of shady outside interests, and a thug who kills to guarantee silence. Soon Sid's own life hangs in the balance.

When a famous retired racehorse is kidnapped, no ransom demands are made. Sid and Chico are called on to find the horse and bring him home. Meanwhile, a reporter learns that the crime could be linked to a man in prison who claims he's innocent. A publicity stunt will turn to tragedy unless Sid acts quickly.

Horses favored to win are running poorly, but why? When Sid discovers an empty syringe outside the stable of a promising colt, he asks a brilliant and beautiful friend at Cambridge to help him find answers. As Sid and Sally race to prevent disaster, their lives are on the line.