The 10th book in the Ashleigh books of the Thoroughbred Series is titled Derby Dreams. Young Ashleigh Griffen still has dreams to be a great jockey when she is older. Her parents’ thoroughbred breeding farm is a great joy to take part in. The only way things could get better is if they were actively involved in the racing side of the industry.
Ashleigh’s parents share with their three children that they have purchased a racehorse with the view to breed from him in the near future. Ashleigh is ecstatic – a racehorse of their very own! And the young colt in question is a beautiful horse, well conformed and with a great personality. Ashleigh is smitten right from the start. But when the seller of the colt appears to be reneging on the agreement she is devastated to think that the idea of owning a racehorse will disappear as quickly as it arrived.
Mr and Mrs Griffen plan to utilise the colt for breeding as well as racing if they are to secure him. This is in a bid to recuperate some of the large sum that they spent to secure the horse. The first race that Renegade runs in for his new owners is promising. Ashleigh suddenly has grand designs of a derby win. But very quickly her dreams start to fall to pieces. Renegade’s breeding ability is put into question and then his capability to race well.
Ashleigh can’t understand how such exciting news – and a promising horse – could suddenly all turn bad. She has a sneaking suspicion it has something to do with the gentleman who sold them the horse. And yet, she cannot find any proof or even understand what has occurred.
In Derby Dreams Ashleigh and her best friend Mona take on a little detective work to solve the mystery around the Griffen’s new racehorse. The book is an entertaining read with just a few horsey aspects that I would question but this may be due to differences in the US thoroughbred breeding world and what I know in Australia.
Author – Chris Platt, series created by Joanna Campbell
Fiction – pre-teen
In my library – that it is!
0
20
20
Leave a Reply