An unusual yet unexpectedly entertaining television mystery series, The Racing Game DVD collection includes all six episodes from a 1980 British production inspired by Dick Francis's novel Odds Against. Francis himself wrote an adapted scenario based on the story of Sid Halley (Mike Gwilym), a champion jockey whose hand--and career--are destroyed during a racing accident. Lost in a deep funk, Halley is eventually drawn out by a string of suspicious accidents at the track. Soon he's investigating criminal connections to a sadistic, wealthy couple and inventing himself anew as a private gumshoe.
The remaining five episodes are original tales, sketched out by Francis and set in the surprisingly cutthroat world of racing. "Trackdown" finds Sid and his comic-relief sidekick, Chico Barnes (Mick Ford), looking into evidence of race fixing, blackmail, and murder. In "Gambling Lady," the crime-fighting partners seek a link between a champion horse's road accident and a beautiful woman's sizable bets on a mediocre mare.
The Racing Game has a slippery, hurried look and feel, and its nominal star (Gwilym) is rather lifeless on screen. Yet these shows quickly develop an unmistakable, infectious swagger and humor. Certain motifs, such as Halley's wrecked hand and vise-like prosthetic, have a slightly surreal touch. Supporting actor Ford adds crucial energy, and the many exterior shots of the racing milieu can be fun to watch. This series may not be an unqualified winner, but it certainly does place in the mystery stakes. --Tom Keogh
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