At first glance a book about three men and a horse, set in 1938, might not seem the most interesting story.

But Seabiscuit, written by American writer Laura Hillenbrand, has just carried off the William Hill Sports Book of the Year.

The book tells a remarkable tale that inspired a nation at its lowest ebb, and when Hillenbrand became aware it of it she was enthralled.

"After I first heard about it I started looking around and found this amazing story," she said.

In 1938, America was in the final throes of the Great Depression.

For 10 years the country's economy had been floundering, and now there was a new threat hanging over the States as war loomed in Europe.

"I knew about Seabiscuit a little," she said "but I didn't know about the men who handled him.

"I came across some information about the owner, the trainer and the jockey and I found it fascinating."

The rags-to-riches story of owner Howard is noteworthy enough, but combined with the life-histories of jockey Red Pollard and trainer Tom Smith, it is easy to see why Hillenbrand was so hooked.

Pollard was a failed boxer who was heading rapidly the same way as a jockey, and who had lived in a horse stall since being abandoned at a makeshift racetrack as a boy.

The trainer, Smith, was known as "The Lone Plainsman."

He had grown up on the rapidly disappearing frontier, and knew generations of lost wisdom about the secrets of horses.

"I tried to make it as much of a human story as possible," said Hillenbrand.

"The horse is remarkable but the people are what really fascinate me and held my attention for the four years that I worked on this."

And Hillenbrand thinks it is the zero-to-hero nature of the story that made it so relevant to America as it struggled with the twin threats of economic depression and war.

"Along comes this ugly little horse which becomes one of the greatest race-horse ever.

"Something clicked in the public and it became the number one newsmaker in America in 1938."

Seabiscuit may not be the lead story any more, but Hillenbrand has told the tale so well that even 60 years on he is still making the news.