Best TV Series and Documentaries About Horse Racing
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- Last Updated: Monday, 02 December 2024 12:50
Horse racing is one of the rare sports that allows moments of magic to play out in front of your eyes without a script being written.
In the sport, the script often writes itself, with historic victories later being retold through generations.
Therefore, it is little surprise that the sport of horse racing translates well into television shows and documentaries, as those that are closest to it can retell some of the most famous victories in the sport.
These stories, often highlighted in the results of racebooks like TwinSpires, offer greater knowledge to fans of racing, as you can find out how champions are formed and maintained throughout their careers. But, what are some of the best TV series and documentaries focused on horse racing?
Champions: Full Gallop
There was huge excitement among jumps racing fans earlier this year when it was revealed that the 2023-24 season was subject to a Netflix Drive to Survive-style documentary.
Champions: Full Gallop was released over the summer, with each episode gaining over 730,000 viewers in a primetime slot on ITV. The documentary follows the story of the season, focusing on the battles for the Jockeys and Trainers’ Championships in the United Kingdom.
There is in-depth coverage from the Cheltenham Festival, with the final episode showing the action that ultimately shaped the battles that concluded the campaign at Sandown.
Horsepower
Horsepower is another fly-on-the-wall documentary series that enables fans of racing to get closer to the action on track.
It was released on Amazon Prime, and follows the season from the Andrew Balding yard. It also follows Oisin Murphy, as the champion jockey returned to action following his well-documented struggles with alcohol.
As well as thrilling action on track, Horsepower also focuses on the human-interest stories surrounding the jockey and trainer, with the series reaching its conclusion at the five-day Royal Ascot meeting.
Luck
One of the finest horse racing-related TV dramas released in modern years comes in the form of Luck. The HBO drama was released in 2012, and premiered in January, before it was renewed for a second season after early success.
However, a second season never materialised, as the show was closed down following horse welfare concerns. Luck features an ensemble cast, including Dustin Hoffman, who plays the lead role.
Other stars that feature in the film include Patrick J. Adams from Suits, Michael Gambon, and Kevin Dunn. The first season gained hugely favorable reviews from the New York Post and Newsday, and currently hols a rating of 82% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Being AP
Life as a professional jockey can often be lonely, meaning that Being AP is a heavy hitting documentary for any racing fans looking to learn more about the sacrifices that riders need to make throughout the season.
However, unlike other jockey-specific documentaries, Being AP chronicles the final season in the saddle for one of the world’s best National Hunt jockeys- AP McCoy. In the documentary,
McCoy must come to terms with his struggles of his waning powers in the saddle, and look ahead to what life after the sport will look like. The show goes into great detail surrounding the star, and the work that was put in to ensure that he would make history with 4,300 winners to his name.
It is one of the most comprehensive horse racing-related shows out there, with exclusive interviews with family, trainers and fellow jockeys all giving insights.
Secretariat (ESPN Classic)
Secretariat is one of the most celebrated Thoroughbreds in the world, and his story has already been the subject of many films and documentaries.
However, few are as powerful as the ESPN-delivered Secretariat. Despite only being 42 minutes in length, the documentary follows the legendary horse’s career from start to finish, and goes into huge detail surrounding what made him different from any other star that stepped foot on track.
It goes into great detail surrounding the concerns of owners for the ability of Ron Turcotte in the saddle, and viewers are able to re-live every magical performance that Secretariat delivered throughout 1972, from Aqueduct to Saratoga.
Dark Horse: The Incredible True Story of Dream Alliance
One of the most unlikely success stories in horse racing history centers around the career of Dream Alliance. Dark Horse: The Incredible True Story of Dream Alliance focuses on the horse’s unlikely route to the top, taking into account the stories of all syndicate owners that made it one of the most loved horses in the sport.
After buying the horse, Janet Vokes and her husband ask locals in the area if they would want to be involved in syndicate to part-own the horse, with the money going toward stable and training costs. Each member only paid £10 per month.
Dream Alliance would later undergo career-saving surgery, before returning to the track by winning the Welsh Grand National in 2009. The documentary would win the Audience Award in the World Cinema Documentary Competition at the Sundance Film Festival, and it is a feel-good story that shows that everyone can dream of achieving success as an owner.
