Although all Francis novels include horse racing, the sport is not necessarily an essential or organic part of every plot, but by focusing upon such things as its practices, rules, and code of honor, Francis presents racing as a microcosm, a world in itself, and thus a standard by which other social units—family, commercial, political—can be measured. In other words, he does not limit his scope by utilizing a racing background; rather he uses it for much larger purposes. As New York Times critic John Leonard put it: "Not to read Dick Francis because you don't like horses is like not reading Dostoevsky because you don't like God" (1981). A useful start for group discussions would be a consideration of the thematic and symbolic function of the racing motif in To the Hilt.

1. A critic has described Francis's racing thrillers as seemingly modern...