Equinties - Irish Oaks weekend

Gm Equinauts

Who watched Champions: Full Gallop last night? And who thought it was good?

For the people who know just a small amount about racing, we imagine it was a familiar but tedious watch. The debut episode focused solely on the King George, a race which fans of the sport are fairly chummy with in the first place.

The lack of insider content was boring and it felt like it was just an extended reel of highlights you’d find most Saturday mornings on ITV Racings Opening Show.

There was too much scripted commentary, especially from Ed Chamberlin, which didn’t feel real. And they even went to the extent of dubbing Irish folk music over any time Gavin Sheehan was speaking which was weird because along with Shark Hanlon, that was probably the most engaging feature.

Talking of Shark, did anyone else feel this was incredibly bad timing, if you know what we mean? Yeh, we did. And look, we’re fans of the Shark.

So, the question - would people, who aren’t so in touch with the sport, watch this and think ‘horse racing is a bit of me’?

Our guess is probably not to be honest.

The next episode teaser suggested the focus will be on the Champion Jockey title between Harry Cobden and Sean Bowen… quite a jump from just the King George. It’s perhaps a prize which should have been described at the start, amongst others, to build a picture, a story for the whole season. A firm narrative and the injection of more emotion.

These episodes should make available parts of the sport that aren’t anywhere else. That wasn’t what we got. They threw a dart at Drive To Survive and properly missed.

Our rating - 3/10.

Let’s dive in.

HEADLINE ROUNDUP

NASSAU NEXT

No decision has been finalised, but connections are leaning towards the Nassau with INSPIRAL after her two disappointing efforts this season.

The Breeders’ Cup winner was poor in the Lockinge when John Gosden said she would need the run (of course he said this after the race) and then she failed to fire in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes.

Gosden blamed the 10-furlong trip for her performance at Royal Ascot, but connections are seemingly willing to try her at 1m2f again at Glorious Goodwood.

Cheveley Park’s managing director Chris Richardson said: “The ground is the key factor to her next run. The Nassau is probably favoured at this stage. On a slightly easier track, and against her own sex, I feel it’s worth another go at ten furlongs, but she’s in the Jacques le Marois as well and we’ll keep our options open.

“The jury is slightly out as to whether she’s trained on and her next race will tell us a lot.”

That final line is key as, in our eyes, she has got a bit too cute for the game.

When you listen to how Gosden describes her work, it sounds as if they are having some issues, and one would have to be worried about that for a five-year-old mare.

She may bounce back, and it would be great if she did, but it’s hard to be confident that she will.

WANT THE WHOLE WEEKENDER? SUBSCRIBE VIA THE LINK BELOW!

Become a paying subscriber of Premium to get access to this post and other subscriber-only content.

Already a paying subscriber? Sign In.

A subscription gets you:

• • The weekender edition (Mon-Fri still free)
• • The weekends best bets
• • That warm fuzzy feeling inside knowing the intern gets fed
• • Only £1 a week!