The Master’s Touch - Racing with Etienne de Mestre, winner of five Melbourne Cups was self-published after Paterson had spent more than six years researching the subject and tracking down illustrations of the horses he had written about.

The book has been shortlisted for the inaugural Bill Whittaker Award which will be announced next month.

It came as a bolt from the blue to Paterson who had not heard of the award, which is hardly surprising considering it has just been introduced.

“It was a big surprise,” he said.

“I knew nothing of it until contacted by the organisers.

“It is a great thrill to be shortlisted to the last 10 books.

“I’m no writer, I was just looking for something to do when I retired, I had a passion for local history and always thought Etienne de Mestre would make a great story.

“I often wondered what sort of operation he had at Terara and how big his stables were.

“I started researching and thought it might take me a couple of years – the story was fantastic with five cup wins – six and a half years of research and then 18 months to finally get the book published we have the finished product.”

He also has plans to do a separate “smaller book” on Archer.

The Bill Whittaker Award honours the memory of legendary racing writer Bill Whittaker, OAM who died last year aged 79.

After working for the Trotting Recorder and Daily Telegraph, Whittaker joined the Sydney Morning Herald in 1959.

During his long career there he received many accolades, being named Australian Sportswriter of the Year in 1984, and Racing Writer of the Year in 1987.

The award was initiated by Bob Charley, AO of Port Macquarie who has had a long association with the Australian thoroughbred racing industry.

He said that it would go to the best book published in the previous two years on either thoroughbred or harness racing.

Judges would be looking at literary merit and also whether the book had increased historical knowledge of the sport.

The Master’s Touch has proved to be most popular in the Shoalhaven community, for the information it provides on the early days of Terara where de Mestre was based.

However it has widespread interest to racing enthusiasts for it tells in greater detail than ever before, the career of the master trainer whose Melbourne Cup record was unequalled for 99 years.

With the 150th anniversary of the great race to be celebrated this year, the book remains topical.

The names of de Mestre’s wins with Archer, Tim Whiffler, Chester and Calamia will again be mentioned, along with the horses that could easily have been added to the list.

* The winner of the Bill Whittaker Award will be announced at a luncheon to be held at the Australian Jockey Club, Randwick on Monday, May 10.

Tickets at $110, are available from Mr Charley, phone 0419-244 507.