Shop

In the 1840s, gambling had taken hold of Britain, with every rascal, rogue and low-life aristocrat bending the rules.

The Epsom Derby, with its crowds of spectators and millions of pounds in wagers, was the ultimate criminal’s playground.  But when the Derby of 1844 ended in chaos, with the two favourite horses doped and the result challenged, one of the most sensational court cases of the nineteenth century took place, forcing changes throughout society as the rule-bound and stringent Victorian age began to take root. Following the murky world of illegal gambling and race-fixing, and discovering a trail of murder, suicide and duelling, Nicholas Foulkes vividly brings to life this overlooked turning point in British history when gentlemen took on blackguards. 

Paperback.