The scene is set, now it is over to the real stars – the horses
▶ Racing has had its recent troubles but the sport opens its window to the world this week for all the right reasons
Presenting the Cheltenham Festival this year on terrestrial television is the biggest challenge and responsibility of my TV career. All eyes are on Cheltenham for a number of reasons.
The Jockey Club and the track have been in the Covid firing line ever since the meeting went ahead last year just a few days before the country entered lockdown.
More recently, the Gordon Elliott saga has cast a dark shadow over the sport. Damaging? Yes. Indefensible? Yes. Representative of the sport? 100 per cent no. My hope is that this week will restore some people’s faith in racing. On ITV, we will showcase the magnificent animals and the grooms’ devotion to their horses.
Sport does not follow scripts, but just imagine Rachael Blackmore and Honeysuckle win the Champion Hurdle, Paisley Park roars up the hill again for Andrew Gemmell in the Stayers’ Hurdle and Bryony Frost makes history in the Gold Cup with Frodon. Racing will return to the back pages, and the front pages as well, and for all the right reasons.
We are the sport’s window to the world this week. The next challenge is to bring the four days, normally a cauldron of noise and excitement, to people’s living rooms from a racecourse full of only strict zoning and emptiness. We know our responsibility is to entertain with a Festival that means so much to so many people. To soften the blow of no crowds, as a one-off, ITV is permitted to show six races a day and nothing lifts spirits more than finding a few winners.
This year sees three superstar novice chasers strut their stuff and many a punter will have them in trixies and trebles: Shishkin, Monkfish and Envoi Allen. Shishkin is first up to the plate in the Arkle (1.55) today and I went to see him at Seven Barrows a few days ago and he looked in tremendous shape.
Nicky Henderson made no secret he was “terrified” watching the Mullins battalions storm home at the Dublin Racing Festival, but we know he is a master at prepping one for Cheltenham himself. Energumene’s injury has denied us a clash of racing’s powerhouses and the way looks clear for Shishkin.
The Champion Hurdle cupboard looked bare a few months ago, but has been transformed into a bulging one. A decent mare getting 7lb from the boys can be lethal, and we have two top-notchers in last year’s winner Epatante and Ireland’s darling Honeysuckle. She and Blackmore could become racing’s golden couple.
My heart, though, is cheering for
Goshen. Who can forget the heartbreak of last year’s unseating with the Triumph Hurdle at his mercy, plus the image of Sir Anthony Mccoy running off the ITV podium to console jockey Jamie Moore? AP fist-bumping Jamie in celebration would be the perfect contrast 12 months later. I talk to Gary Moore (Jamie’s dad, and Goshen’s trainer) more about his beloved Arsenal than racing, but he always told me Goshen is a freak, with ability like Thierry Henry. I will be cheering Team Moore today.
My hope is that the love is shared at Cheltenham this year with smaller operations having their time in the spotlight. There is a danger Mullins might steamroller everyone, though, and Appreciate It will take a lot of beating in the opener, the Supreme (1.20). He is a short price in a small field and the one who might outrun his odds is the brilliantly named Grumpy Charley. On form, he has a similar chance to Soaring Glory, yet is 33-1.
Elsewhere, Simon Munir did not hesitate when nominating
Concertista (3.40) as the “Double Green” owners’ bet of the week, while my banker of the day is
Galvin (4.50). The way he powered up the hill in a novice chase here in October smacked of a National Hunt Chase winner. It has been a long 144-day wait to back him.
So, the scene is set for a Cheltenham Festival like no other. Now it’s over to the real stars
– the horses.