The challenge and the joy of sports documentaries is that they’re impossible to plan.
At the start of any season, you have no idea what the outcome will be and it’s incredibly difficult to know who to follow and what to expect. You need a production team that’s used to that, because ultimately, the unexpected is what makes great television.
The starting point for the series was that we thought, how is it possible that the most dramatic sport that we have hasn’t been turned into a series?
We wanted to change that, we felt strongly that no sport is more deserving. The stakes in terms of the danger to jockeys are so high, the outcomes so unexpected.
When we started filming, it was quite difficult for some in the racing community.
They were thinking, “Who are they, they don’t know anything?”, which is fair, but I countered that by saying we wanted to make a series that appeals to everyone – not just the people who already love the sport – by making it accessible and easy to understand even if you’ve never been racing.
We tried not to get caught up in technicalities like handicaps and grades of races. We wanted to tell a great story about great characters who put their lives on the line every day to win races.
Denne historien er fra August 01, 2024-utgaven av Horse & Hound.
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Denne historien er fra August 01, 2024-utgaven av Horse & Hound.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
'Sorry, but I wasn't feeling it'
Fresh from the opening meet, Tessa Waugh hasn't quite yet been bitten by the hunting bug. Without the crisp autumnal air and cheek-pinching cold she hoped for, it's a sluggish start
New pair pull off a win
A former European Championships pony is on form with his new rider, while elsewhere former showjumpers and eventers take ribbons
Lording it over the rest
Horses who have returned from injury, a second generation homebred and a long format specialist score on the final weekend of the British season
Smith hits flying form
A \"her way or no way\" mare helps Zoe Smith to an impressive ribbon haul and a rider beats his own boss to the top spot
Jankorado hits the jackpot
Paul Sims is triumphant despite his interrupted jump-off preparation and a borrowed horse comes up trumps
Peanut
From \"dangerous, scary\" to hedge-hopping brilliance, hunting has been the making of this unstable but very lovable equine character
She's a corker
Communication, says long-standing and highly respected Belvoir master Lady Sarah McCorquodale, is the key to all, as Catherine Austen discovers
Access all areas Cavalier Centre
The Cavalier Centre is a fully accessible, state-of-the-art equestrian centre designed to improve lives through horse-based activities. Ellie May Forrester pays a visit
'Use it or lose it'
Not everyone wants to reach for the pipe and slippers at a certain age. Becky Murray speaks to some veteran horse-and-rider combos for their secrets of human and equine longevity
A new way forward
Worm control in horses is vital, but established methods will not remain effective for much longer. Tim Mair FRCVS explains why and how we need to change
