Hi all,
Inside today’s main piece I have reviewed ITV’s documentary Champions: Full Gallop. Plus you can read my thoughts on Saturday’s Hungerford Stakes at Newbury.
Champions: Full Gallop Review
“Champions: Full Gallop,” the ITV documentary series on the 2023-24 jump season, has wrapped up. Its aim was to bolster the appeal of a declining sport, similar to what “Drive To Survive” achieved for Formula 1. But has it succeeded?
I binge-watched the four episodes yesterday. By episode four, I regretted the time spent. The series was filled with clichés: racing is great, there's tension, we love our horses, they're well cared for. The underlying plea was apparent: “Please like us, please like racing, please don’t ban us.” This tone came across as desperate.
The show featured ITV Racing talking heads, often echoing each other or what trainers and jockeys had already said. This repetition was both tedious and annoying. It seemed the producers were unsure whether to sell the sport or create an entertaining show, leaving the series falling between two stools.
Missed Opportunities
As a fly-on-the-wall documentary, it lacked gripping content. For the casual viewer, it was too repetitive to be entertaining. Episode one was tedious, and by episode two, I was at a loss for words. However, I noticed much commentary from Aly Vance, who happens to be married to Seb Vance, who works for the production company. By episode four, it seemed even the producers had thrown in the towel.
According to the show's cheerleaders, 1.4 million watched the first episode. But it's no surprise that viewing figures haven't been a talking point since. I suspect by the end; they were broadcasting to the already converted.
The series missed opportunities to provide depth. Where was the segment following stable lads and lassies? Why not spotlight a small trainer struggling to survive or a course bookmaker? Notably absent was any mention of betting, the element that lends the sport its mass appeal.
In conclusion, the series started badly and got progressively worse. It was a disappointing, monotonous attempt at reviving interest in the sport.
Looking Ahead to the Weekend
On the Saturday before York’s Ebor Festival, ITV Racing will focus on Newbury, where the feature race is the Group 2 Hungerford Stakes (3.35). The Group 3 Geoffrey Freer Stakes (1.50) also features on the Newbury undercard. Additionally, ITV will showcase racing from Ripon, with the highlight being the £100,000 Great St Wilfrid Handicap (3.20). At Newmarket, the Jenningsbet Grey Horse Handicap (2:05) will take centre stage.
As for Saturday’s big races, much depends on the weather over the next few days. Moreover, it remains uncertain who will sit out the Hungerford Stakes and wait for York instead.
Newbury: Hungerford Stakes
William Haggas, who won the Hungerford Stakes in 2015 and 2021, has the ante-post favorite for this year’s race, Lake Forest. Initially, I had last year’s Gimcrack winner down as merely a 2-year-old. However, he has shown he’s trained on by finishing runner-up in the Commonwealth Cup and the Group 3 Hackwood Stakes (6f) last time. He has shaped both times like the step up to 7f will suit him. He’s got a good chance provided the ground is on the quick side of good. However, he also holds an entry for next week’s City of York Stakes, which is a more valuable race.
Earlier this week, there was money for Kikkuli, a short head runner-up to Haatem in the Jersey Stakes (7f) at Royal Ascot. He found the soft ground not to his liking when he finished 6th of 14 in the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat at Deauville last time. A return to quicker ground will suit the 3-year-old, who remains open to further progress. He also holds a City of York Stakes entry but seems more likely to come here.
Poet Master bounced back to form by winning the Group 2 Minstrel Stakes at the Curragh 27 days ago. He gets a 3lb penalty for that success. Despite that, he has the form to win here if he can reproduce his latest effort. He doesn’t hold an entry for York.
English Oak looked progressive when winning handicaps at Haydock and Royal Ascot. However, the Goodwood undulations didn’t suit him when he finished 4th of 8 in the Group 2 Lennox Stakes last time. He’s got to prove he’s a Group 2 performer but remains with potential.
You can’t totally rule out last year’s winner, Witch Hunter, either.
Hungerford Stakes Verdict
I like the ante-post favourite Lake Forest, but I wouldn’t back him ante-post since he could go to York. Both Poet Master and English Oak have good claims, and I prefer them slightly to Kikkuli. If all the main fancies show up, it has the makings of a good race.
Wednesday’s ‘Lay or Play’
Tuesday’s ‘lay or play’ Duran (7/2) finished 7th of 8 at Nottingham. Duran’s trainer, Nigel Tinkler, also saddles Wednesday’s ‘lay or play.’
Tinkler is now 1 winner from 54 bets (-49.25), 10 places with his last time out handicap winners. Given those stats, is Sergeant Mayer a ‘lay or play‘?
Good luck with your Wednesday bets.
John
The Full gallop was entertaining but as you say fell between 2 stools.
No real biting insights for the neautral onlooker and all very cosy patting on the back from people already big in the game.
I enjoyed it but purely as a piece of entertainment which was surely not the goal.
Totally & Utterly Agree, It Was All Cliches that Anyone Who Knows OWT Bout Horse Racing KNOW’S. Having Worked fr Susan Alner (Robert Alner’s Wife)-for about 2yrs in the 1980’s, & knowing some Moon’s(Months) she Would Earn More frm her Point-Pointers that Robert did @’t Racetracks, I Know about the Welfare & Care Any Decent Trainer Spends on Vet’s Fee’s/Feed/Bedding/Staff Wages, & All THESE F***in NampieBanpies, Who Go On About How Cruel Racing IS, But What They Know, Not Only Have I Forgot, but You Could Also Write on the Back of a Postage Stamp(Picture 1@’that). In my Opinion any TV Channel Want to do a Programe bout Racing, let’s have a Bit More bout How Much it Costs to Keep a Racehorse, Not this Jockey & this Trainer, All They Showed Was All The TOP Yards/Jockeys & Tracks, What ABOUT The Smaller Yards That Struggle on frm 1 Moon-Another………….