Joe McNally has been involved with horse racing all his life. As a teenager he devoured Dick Francis novels while starving himself in the hope of keeping his weight low enough to begin a career as an apprentice jockey. It soon became apparent the fasting was in vain.

From those early stable-lad days, Joe stayed in touch with the sport through various jobs in the industry. In the mid 1990s he was marketing manager for the Grand National before becoming commercial director of Tote Bookmakers.

A native Scot, Joe lives with his wife Margy in Rothesay on the wonderful Isle of Bute where he now writes full-time.