timeThe concept of prime time is no longer what it used to be, but Friday 9pm on ITV1 remains an impressively important time slot in the Championship’s All Out schedule, It’s a bold attempt to cover all ground and aim to give jump racing at least a fraction of the boost to Formula 1 that Netflix documentary series Drive To Survive brought.
When Drive To Survive launched in March 2019, F1 was suffering from declining revenue and ratings and was struggling to expand or diversify its aging audience. In other words, similar problems to those faced by racing, but six seasons of Drive To Survive Later, F1 became one of the fastest growing sports in the world, with millions of new fans and a brighter future than it had been in decades.
The show also spawned a new genre of sports documentaries, including professional tennis – Breaking Point – and golf – Full Swing – Tracks and seeks to exploit the individuals and personalities involved to provide an emotional foothold for the general audience.
Obviously, ITV doesn’t have the global reach of Netflix, but neither does Nationwide Hunt Racing. While Netflix’s UK subscriber base appears to have stabilized at around one in two households, ITV is easily available on every TV station in the UK. As a result, the potential audience for Champions: The Ride will be well into the seven-figure range, and if one in 100 people is able to become an occasional punter, horse racing enthusiast or both, then the impact will be considerable Considerable.
At the very least, that’s presumably what convinced Racecourse Media Group, which includes Jockey Club racecourses and several large independent racecourses, to invest in the six-part series along with Flutter Entertainment, owner of betting brands such as Paddy Power and Paddy Power Ideas for the series.
Formula 1 and racing have some obvious similarities, including speed, intense competition and the constant danger. There are also important differences when it comes to marketing the sport to new audiences. For example, 75% of the population has a driving license, but few have learned to ride a horse, so for many people driving a car at 200 mph is more appealing than riding a horse at 35 mph.
But the thrill of competing and winning is something we all know, and that’s what championships are like – running at full speed Communicated very well. The show as a whole is set in the 2023-24 season, but the first episode centers on the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day, which thankfully is the most dramatic and thrilling in the race’s long history. One of the most memorable matches.
The format is standard for modern drama documentaries – large numbers of characters describing the preparations for the game, and shots no longer than 5 or 10 seconds to accommodate modern attention spans. This may make some viewers a little uncomfortable, but for the TikTok generation, it will be instantly familiar. Harry Cobden displays a natural awareness of the requirements of format.
The race is shown through a mixture of helmet camera footage, close-ups and jockey commentary, including clips of chatter before the race started when everyone was wondering whether Shishkin would retire.
quick guide
Greg Wood’s Tuesday Tips
exhibit
beverly 2.30 Coto De Caza 3.00 Greek Gift 3.30 Rise Hall 4.00 Variety Island 4.30 Coltor 5.00 Park Street (nb)
nottingham 2.45 Trust Me Now 3.15 Bank of Kent 3.45 Majeski Man (Siesnap) 4.15 The Last Outlaw 4.45 Snowberry 5.20 Andromeda Kingdom
kempton 6.00 Greek Gods 6.30 Forager 7.00 8th Avenue 7.30 Rosa Applause 8.00 Billy 8.30 Salibel 9.00 Chico Dulce
Even casual racing fans will remember how it all happened, but for those who have no idea what’s going on, or don’t understand racing at all, it packs a lot of excitement into a very accessible and memorable package .
For most of us in the sport, the horses are the real stars and what keep us coming back. But the people around them, especially the jockeys, may be the best ambassadors for the spectators who come to watch the races, while the horses are a complete blank slate.
