Sir Charles Hare is a racehorse breeder, trainer, owner and gambler who bets everything he owns on his horse Enchanting, the favourite for the Cobham Cup at Ascot. Enchating's jockey has been got at though and John Harwick's horse Sunstar wins the race resulting in Sir Charles having to sell his Wolfshill manison in Ireland to pay off his debts. The mansion is bought by American racehorse trainer McGuire and his daughter Pat mistakes Sir Charles for a stable lad and gives him a job which sets them off on the road to love. Unbeknown to Sir Charles, his Aunt Anne and family friend Colonel Keene managed to purchase a yearling colt that Sir Charles had bred giving him hope for the future. They task their drunken friend Lazy Mangan, a superstitious talented horse whisperer, with breaking in the colt and a few visits to the fairy tree later he manages to tame the temperamental beast. Sir Charles is finally told about the purchase of the colt and then, with the help of McGuire and Mangan starts to train the horse - "March Hare" - with the ultimate aim of winning the Derby. Several large bets are placed on the March Hare to win the Derby with John Harwick's firm which could leave him ruined. Come the day of the big race things don't quite go to plan after Harwick nobbles March Hare's jockey but can the horse still go onto win the ultimate prize? 

This film is based on the novel "Gamblers Sometimes Win" written by Captain T. H. Bird and was is shot in glorious colour and CinemaScope photography by Jack Hildyard. The titles at the start of the film are accompanied by a wonderful Irish fiddly diddley dee theme tune, written by Philip Green, which is then played throughout the movie. The love affair between the handsome Terence Morgan and sultry Peggy Cummins add some extra spice to the story but Irish actor Cyril Cusack steals the limelight with his portrayal of the drunken Mangan, the queen of the fairies.   

The superb CinemaScope filming used at Ascot and Epsom racecourse probably make these the most enjoyable racing scenes from any of the films I have seen but the Ascot close up scenes were obviously shot at another course and the Cobham Cup appears to include the action of at least two different races which detracts from the film slightly. There is also a visit to an Irish course called Kilkennon half way through the film but I can't find any reference to it so can only assume it is fictional for the purposes of the film. The closing section of the film suggests that the March Hare's jockey has been got at by Harwick's men but I can only assume that he double crossed Harman and went with McGuire after all.

The film is worthy for watching if only for the beautiful CinemaScope photography and jaunty Irish them tune but the storyline and romance are fairly weak and inconsistent. (Rating 5/10)