Nick Luck Daily Podcast

Nick is joined by RTE and RTV broadcaster Jane Mangan to bring you all the latest news from around the racing world. In a Festival focused show, Nick talks first to Henry Daly, who confirms his popular giant Hillcrest for the Albert Bartlett next Friday. Also on the show, bloodstock agent Tom Malone gives an engaging interview on some of his 50-odd purchases ahead of next week, among them Bravemansgame, on whom he shares some hitherto unheard insight. Later, popular amateur rider David Maxwell drops in to talk about whether he can raise the roof with a winner at Cheltenham. Nick and Jane also consider the 5 day entries for the champion hurdle and touch briefly on the interminable debate surrounding a 5 day Festival.

Nick is joined by Racing Post senior writer Lee Mottershead to discuss the news and events from around the racing world. With the news that BHA Chair Annamarie Phelps is set to leave the organisation after one term in office, Nick and Lee discuss what the top of the agenda might look like for her successor Joe Saumarez Smith and consider whether her greatest achievement may be yet to come. Also in the show, Nick talks to Emmet Mullins about his small but nonetheless enviable Cheltenham string, including last year's winner The Shunter, while Jamie Hart brings you details of a brand new free-to-enter betting competition from the Tote, JA McGrath has all the latest from Hong Kong and Jimmy George looks ahead to the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up sale.

Nick is joined in today's special edition by Alexander Malynovskyy, of the Jockey Club in Ukraine and registrar of the Ukraine Stud book. He gives Nick an account of his young family's own flight from Kyiv, his attempts to help those wounded and in distress, and his efforts to keep tabs on what had until the last fortnight been a progressive thoroughbred breeding and racing industry in Ukraine. With Russian forces suppressing internal communications in the country, Alexander tells Nick that he has lost contact with Ukraine's most important stud and fears that many others may already be under Russian occupation. Nick would like to express his gratitude to Nick Craven and all at Weatherbys for their assistance in Ukraine and for making this interview possible. Later in the show, Nick is joined by David Yates of the Daily Mirror to discuss the latest Cheltenham developments involving Gordon Elliott's huge team, the participation of Hillcrest, the issue of jockeys' weights and the announcement that Mansionbet would stop taking bets on horseracing.

Tom in for Nick and joined initially by BHA Chief Operating Officer Richard Wayman who tells us how the latest decision on jockey weights was reached. With the weights to rise 2lbs and riders set to receive an additional 1lb safety allowance, broadcaster Rishi Persad is along to give his views. Rishi also reflects on Super Saturday from Meydan and rider Dane O’Neill joins us having ridden his first Group 1 winner for nearly seven years. With the latest Kentucky Derby trials taking place in the US this weekend, NBC’s Matt Bernier gives his views on who might make an impact at Churchill Downs and Rishi tells us of his current Cheltenham Festival bugbear.

With the Cheltenham Festival less than 2 weeks away, in the latest episode of the Saturday Edition, Charlotte Greenway recaps on some of the interviews on the podcast with Nick and Tom Stanley over the last week with connections of intended runners.

Following the significant drift in the market of Champion Chase second favourite Energumene, we hear about the troubles the horse has endured over the last week from Tony Bloom's racing manager, Sean Graham.

Joe Chambers, racing manager to Rich Ricci, discusses the horses that will be running in the pink and green silks following the disappointing news that Allergorie de Vasy will miss the mares novices hurdle.

Dan Skelton's Protektorat looks to be Britain's best hope of winning the feature race of the week, the Gold Cup and he explains how it feels to have a horse going there with a live chance.

Finally, hear from Peter Fahey on how and when he's likely to decide Royal Kahala's Festival target along with his yard's other inteded runners.

Nick, in Miami to cover the '1/ST Saturday in March', is joined by Racing Post writer Maddy Playle to discuss the news and events from around the racing world. Nick hears from Sean Graham, manager to owner Tony Bloom, who details the somewhat troubled preparation of leading two mile chaser Energumene en route to the Champion Chase rematch with Shishkin. Despite the drift on Betfair last night, the horse is now fine, according to Graham. Later in this edition, Nick talks to owner Martin Dixon, whose Horsewatchers syndicate is cleaning up on the All Weather, including with Intervention, who looks for a fourth win in eight days this afternoon. Will Kinsey drops in to tell us about the latest Thoroughbid auction and brings news on his leading Cheltenham fancy Stormy Ireland, while James Willoughby's Rankings Update includes a debrief on Saudi Cup, Winter Derby, Christophe Lemaire, Baffert and more.

Tom in for Nick and joined by RTE & RTV broadcaster Jane Mangan. Yesterday on the pod we touched on the Cheltenham handicap weights and today pose the question whether Irish domination in this field is now a forgone conclusion. Jane answers that question and gives reasons why the Irish trained horses have been consistently hard to beat in handicaps. We hear from trainer Peter Fahey who isn’t entirely happy with all of the marks allotted to his horses and he gives an update on star mare Royal Kahala. Kelso’s Morebattle hurdle takes place on Saturday and it looks a very strong renewal this year. We hear from Jessica Harrington about the chances of her runner Autumn Evening. Plus jockey Adrie de Vries is along to reflect on his ride in the Saudi Cup and look ahead to Super Saturday at Meydan.

Nick is joined by Racing Post senior writer Lee Mottershead to discuss the latest news and events from around the racing world, including the breaking news that Allegorie de Vassy misses the event, as revealed on this podcast by racing manager Joe Chambers. With the publication of the handicap weights for the Cheltenham Festival yesterday, they discuss the huge strings likely to be in action for Elliott and Mullins and consider a rather hangdog attitude on the part of their seemingly beleaguered British counterparts. Nick and Lee also reflect on sport's response to Ukraine and sanctions against Russia in the company of RCA CEO David Armstrong, who joined a call for sporting leaders with DCMS Secretary Nadine Dorries earlier in the week. Pat Cummings again joins the show with an update on Bob Baffert, this time to outline the details of his writ against Churchill Downs, while trainer Clive Cox looks ahead to debuting 5 two year olds by his champion sprinter and first season Darley stallion Harry Angel.

Nick is joined by broadcaster Cornelius Lysaght to discuss the news and events around the horse racing world. First, they react to Nick's detailed interview with Dan Skelton, in which he underlines the excitement felt by his whole team at fielding Protektorat, Britain's leading hope for the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Nick and Cornelius also discuss trainer Venetia Williams's concern for her stable form, while they examine the written reasons for Oisin Murphy's lengthy ban and pay tribute to John Berry's recognition of Ukraine. US trainer Ricky Courville talks to Nick about the one eyed Un Ojo, the shock winner of Oaklawn Park's Rebel Stakes now on the Kentucky Derby trail, while Norton Grove Stud's Jess Lingwood is this week's Weatherbys Bloodstock Guest.

Nick is joined by Daily Mirror writer David Yates to discuss the news and events from around the racing world. They lead with a follow-up to another lengthy and thought provoking piece from Paul Kimmage in the Irish Independent on Sunday on the alleged treatment of Stephen Mahon by the IHRB and its wider ramifications for their investigations into the use of performance enhancing drugs. On the back of a result that shocked the world, Nick talks to Saudi Cup winning rider Wigberto 'Wiggy' Ramos about a victory that will define his career. Milton Harris drops in to talk about a possible 5 strong challenge for Cheltenham, including two fillies in the bumper to go alongside Knight Salute's Triumph Hurdle bid, while the BHA's James Given talks to Nick about the research that has led to upcoming changes to fences and hurdles.