Advanced Television

ITV to release six-part horse racing series

July 17, 2024

ITV is set to release a new six-part horse racing series that showcases behind the scenes in the sport. Champions Full Gallop will cover Jumps racing in the UK, with features on the leading jockeys, trainers, and owners.

The series will be live on ITV1 and available and free to stream on ITVX.

Episode One to Cover King George VI Chase Day

Gavin Sheehan is sixth best in the betting on horse racing for the 2024/25 UK National Hunt Jockeys’ Championship this season. He features heavily on the opening episode of Champions Full Gallop, which covers King George VI Chase Day at Kempton Park on Boxing Day.

King George VI Chase Day is one of the most important race days on the Jumps calendar outside of the Cheltenham Festival. It attracts the best chasers from the UK and Ireland, and its roll of honour includes some of the greats of the sport, such as Arkle, Desert Orchid, and Kauto Star.

Bryony Frost Continues to Break Boundaries

Horse racing is a sport that is very much male-dominated, particularly in the saddle. However, Bryony Frost has established herself as one of the best in the UK and Ireland and is someone trusted by the leading trainers and jockeys. She is set to feature regularly on Champions Full Gallop across several episodes.

14-time Champion Trainer Paul Nicholls regularly books Frost to ride his horses. She has been victorious in some of the biggest races in the sport, including the King George VI Chase, Ryanair Chase, Tingle Creek Chase, and Celebration Chase.

The cameras will follow all aspects of life as a jockey. Frost has worn a camera on her helmet to give viewers a unique view of what it is like to jump a fence on a racehorse. She has also been followed on the gallops where she rides a string of horses in the morning before heading to the races.

ITV Racing Continue Host Terrestrial Coverage of Horse Racing

Champions Full Gallop is another example of ITV’s commitment to horse racing in the UK. The channel has been the sport’s terrestrial broadcaster since 2017. They feature all the leading meetings in the sport, including Cheltenham Festival, Royal Ascot, Derby, Guineas Weekend, and Breeders’ Cup Championship.

ITV Racing hired former Sky Sports Football presenter Ed Chamberlin to head up their coverage when they launched. Chamberlain remains the face of ITV Racing on the Flat and over the Jumps. He is often joined by former jockeys Tony McCoy, Ruby Walsh, and Mick Fitzgerald, as they preview and analyse the races on their coverage.

Should Champions Full Gallop prove to be a success on the screens, we may see a follow-up series focussing on the biggest names in Flat racing in the sport in the near future.

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