Nick Luck Daily Podcast

Nick is joined by RTE and Racing TV broadcaster Jane Mangan for a look at the day's racing news and a look ahead to the weekend's classic action in Ireland which, as we're told by Curragh CEO Pat Keogh are under some threat from the unseasonable wet weather. Nick also talks in this episode to Hugo Palmer, trainer of Irish Guineas live outsider The Rosstafarian, Sean Quinn, whose father John saddles first and second favourites in Haydock's Temple Stakes, to Libby Snell, whose Lulham Bloodstock consigned the top lot this week's Goffs Sale and to James Willoughby, who explains why Palace Pier is now at the head of the TRC Global Rankings.

Nick is joined by broadcaster and journalist Lydia Hislop to discuss all the day's racing news. This edition opens up with a candid contribution from Mark Kershaw, former MD of Newbury Racecourse, who has published a study detailing what he believes to be unreasonable racecourse profits, particularly during the pandemic, that are not being reinvested in the sport. Nick and Lydia examine his claims and consider the landscape as a whole. With the Irish Guineas this weekend, Nick talks to trainer Jim Bolger, who saddles two leading fancies in Poetic Flare and MacSwiney, while ITV's Oli Bell joins us to talk about the Riding A Dream Academy and the Khadija Mellah Scholarship.

Nick is joined by renowned broadcaster Rishi Persad to discuss the day's racing news. They lead this episode with a lengthy discussion of the merits and implications of the 7 day ban handed down to jockey Jason Watson at Nottingham yesterday after his horse lost many lengths leaving the starting gate. Watson himself joins the show to offer his perspective and reiterates that he feels victimised by the BHA stewards. Later in this edition, with news that Royal Ascot attendance will be capped at 4,000 per day unless the government decrees otherwise, Nick talks to Ascot Comms Director Nick Smith to find out more. JA McGrath brings his weekly bulletin from Hong Kong.

Nick is joined by Racing Post senior writer Lee Mottershead to discuss and reflect upon all the day's national and international racing news. We begin this edition with a tribute from his friend and contemporary Jimmy Lindley to the great jockey Joe Mercer, who died yesterday at the age of 86. Nick and Lee examine the reaction to crowds returning to the tracks in Great Britain yesterday, and pick out noteworthy performances from the UK and France. Later in this edition, top US writer Jay Hovdey brings you the latest on the Baffert case and NYRA's decision to suspend runners from the stable, while broadcaster Bobby Beevers and RCA's Paul Swain drop in to talk about the launch of Autism in Racing.

Tom Stanley in for Nick and joined by Newsboy of The Daily Mirror, Dave Yates, on the day English racecourses welcome back crowds. We speak to Arena Racing Company’s Sam Cone to discuss the return of the public to Windsor Racecourse this evening. There’s a look back at the main talking points from the weekend with the French 1000 and 2000 Guineas. Trainer Michael McCarthy gives an emotional interview to Nick about the his Preakness winner, Rombauer. And we speak to Chris Kiely whose horse, Choux, was the subject of a huge and successful gamble on Saturday at Thirsk

Nick is joined by broadcaster Lydia Hislop to reflect on the day's racing news, leading with the reaction to the Al Basti Equiworld Dante Stakes at York and the solid performance of Hurricane Lane and mild encouragement from High Definition. Philippa Cooper is the breeder of both leading British based contenders for the Cazoo Derby in Hurricane Lane and Mohaafeth and she drops in to talk about the significance to her family of both of these colts by Frankel. Later in this edition, Nick enjoys an extended chat with James Willoughby setting out from a TRC Rankings standpoint what will be required to win this year's Derby and looking ahead to the Preakness Stakes this weekend.

We begin the show today with a report from Equidia and Sky Sports Racing's French correspondent Katherine Ford on the developments in the case of Pierre Charles Boudot, the French Champion jockey who has been charged with rape. Subsequently, Nick is joined by RTE and Racing TV broadcaster Jane Mangan to discuss all the day's racing news, including a review of yesterday's action from York, a preview of the Dante Stakes, a look ahead to this weekend's French Classics and the Lockinge Stakes, in which Palace Pier heads the market. His trainer John Gosden joins Nick on the show and also discusses the fallout from the Kentucky Derby and Median Spirit's positive drug test.

Nick is joined by David Yates of the Daily Mirror to cast an eye over all the news events affecting horseracing, both nationally and internationally. Nick and Dave consider the importance of this week's York fixture, which begins today, alongside James Savage, a key member of the Sir Michael Stoute team. TVG Digital Editor Alicia Hughes updates the Bob Baffert/Medina Spirit story and offers insight into the reaction in the US, Jason Weaver remembers the life and career of jockey Tyrone Williams, JA McGrath brings you the latest from Hong Kong, while trainer Richard Phillips talks about the brand new National Racehorse Week, which is launched today.

Nick is joined by Racing Post senior writer Lee Mottershead for news and comment on all the day's national and international events in horseracing, with continuing coverage of the Bob Baffert story and the emerging news from France on PC Boudot. With so much in the British Horseracing Authority in-tray - the Levy, Welfare, Crowds Returning and the announcement of an industry-wide diversity commitment, Nick conducts a wide-ranging interview with BHA Chair Annamarie Phelps to discuss all of the above.

This week's bloodstock guest, in partnership with Weatherbys Stallion Book and Global Stallions App, is Walker Hancock, the fourth generation of his family to take the reins at the legendary Claiborne Farm in Central Kentucky.

Nick is joined by Patrick Cummings, Executive Director of the Thoroughbred Ideas Foundation to discuss the shocking news that Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit has tested positive for Betamathazone, a therapeutic corticosteroid, and faces disqualification from the Kentucky Derby 147 if the split sample confirms the findings. The case is made the more intriguing by trainer Bob Baffert's strenuous denial that there was any such medication ever administered. Nick and Patrick discuss the impact on Baffert and racing's reputation and attempt to answer the attendant questions over regulation, harmonisation, medication and public perception of the integrity of the sport.