Bart: my life. J. B. Cummings. 2009.

James Bartholomew ‘Bart’ Cummings AM occupies a rare place in the pantheon of Australian sporting greats, standing alongside Sir Donald Bradman in the monumental scope of his achievements. Known to his tens of thousands of fans as the ‘Cups King’, Bart is arguably Australia’s greatest ever horse trainer. For over five decades he’s been at the very top of his profession, yet the man himself remains a fascinating and intriguing mystery. Now, for the first time, he tells his story.

in Bart: my life, he recounts his early years as his father’s apprentice, leading to his first Group One win in 1958. He never looked back. In over half a century as a trainer Bart has won more than 250 Group One races - a staggering statistic. But the record that will almost certainly never be matched is his incredible tally of Melbourne Cup wins - twelve of them from his first triumph with Light Fingers in 1965 to Viewed’s stunning victory in 2008.

But Bart’s life story is much more than just the sum of his racing successes. From the highs of the racetrack to the lows of suspensions and near bankruptcy, Bart shares his unique perspective on an extraordinarily long period of Australian racing. Along the way, he illuminates - with his trademark dry wit - the colourful trainers, jockeys and owners who populate the industry.