Nick Luck Daily Podcast

Nick is joined by the renowned journalist and broadcaster (and pioneer of 'Road to Cheltenham') Lydia Hislop to discuss the day's racing news. With the cold snap starting to bite and notably affect the UK and Ireland racing calendar, Nick and Lydia ask whether it is acceptable to abandon meetings as close to race time as has been the case of late. Brant Dunshea, BHA's chief regulatory officer, explains protocol, while trainer Kim Bailey expresses his dissatisfaction. Later in the edition, Bailey talks us though his important runner at Kempton at the weekend, while top Point to Point trainer Alan Hill talks about his hopes and fears for the amateur branch of the sport. Have a great weekend!

Nick is joined by broadcaster Rishi Persad to discuss the day's news, starting with UAE based trainer Doug Watson's enforced withdrawal of his runners at Meydan today because "a number of his staff" have tested positive for Covid-19. Nick and Rishi ask whether British racing should roll out mass testing, while Piet Ramzan, senior partner at Rossdales in Newmarket, laments the lack of social distancing and mask wearing across stables in racing's HQ. Later in this edition, Graham Motion appreciated the brilliant career of Jonathan Sheppard, which has come to an end in the US.

Nick is joined by jockey Olivier Peslier to pay tribute to Goldikova, one of the greatest racemares of all time and triple Breeders' Cup heroine, who died this morning aged 16. Alongside RTE broadcaster Jane Mangan, Nick also recaps today's news in Britain and Ireland, while - further afield - British-born, Australian-based rising star Annabel Neasham drops in to talk about a potentially huge moment in her fledgling training career and JA McGrath brings you all the latest news from Hong Kong. Back home, trainer Nicky Martin eyes up her own biggest career win with The Two Amigos is Saturday's Welsh National at Chepstow.

Nick is joined by David Yates, Newsboy from the Daily Mirror, to discuss the day's news, focussing chiefly on how the sport continues gingerly and under behind-closed-doors licence in light of the latest government national lockdown as a response to the new variant of the pandemic. Nick talks to RCA CEO David Armstrong about the potential for more testing, more stringent racecourse regulation, and the overall cost to the sport because of betting shop closures. As racing continues, and builds up to the weekend's rescheduled Coral Welsh National, Nick talks to trainer Oliver Sherwood, whose Dominateur looks to give the trainer a second 'National' in a week, while Will Duff-Gordon from Total Performance Data is this week's Weatherbys Bloodstock guest, and examines the increasing role of data in horseracing analysis.

Nick is joined by Racing Post Senior Writer Lee Mottershead to discuss the day's news, leading with how the UK's marquee racing Festival is preparing itself given the likely weeks of Covid-related uncertainty in the build-up to the event. This episode opens with Nick talking to Cheltenham Director Ian Renton, covering the likelihood of no fans, the issues surrounding the attendance of Irish and French trained horses and people, and financial implications. Nick is also joined by Simon Clare to pay tribute to trainer Zoe Davison, who died yesterday on the day that she trained a double at Plumpton, while trainer Fergal O'Brien shares the secrets of this season's remarkable successes.

Nick is joined by renowned broadcaster Cornelius Lysaght to discuss the day's events as we usher in a new year and wonder how horseracing might navigate its way through the early months with no fans, but with increased television exposure. Levy Board CEO Alan Delmonte outlines the financial realities through the first quarter. Later in this edition, Nick is joined by the 11-times Champion British jumps trainer, Paul Nicholls, who, having reached 100 on New Year's Eve, has his sights firmly set on breaking his own numerical seasonal record of 171.

Nick bids farewell to a turbulent year in the company of David Yates, Newsboy from the Daily Mirror. Nick and Dave consider the impact of the latest government restrictions and wonder how long racing will be dealing with the consequences. They also consider the road ahead for the sport's administrators in 2021. Looking ahead to the weekend's racing, Nick talks extensively to Harry Fry about his favourite for the year's first Grade One at Sandown Park, while Nigel Payne drops in to reflect on receiving an MBE in the New Year Honours List.

Nick is joined by broadcaster and the Racing Post's 5th most influential figure of 2020, Rishi Persad, to analyse the day's news and to reflect on some sparkling performances over the festive period, notably by horses trained by Irish maestro Willie Mullins, whose son Patrick, assistant and rider of Grade One winner Sharjah, drops in for a chat. Later in this edition, Nick catches up with jockey Ben Curtis, who is 2020's leading rider by number of winners in the calendar year in the UK. Andrew Cooper, Clerk at Sandown Park, gives us the prospects for Saturday's meeting at the Esher track.

Nick is joined by RTE and Racing TV broadcaster Jane Mangan to discuss the day's racing news, including reflections on an epic running of Leopardstown's Savills Chase and whether its result will have any bearing on this season's Cheltenham Gold Cup. With the Grade 1 Challow Hurdle taking place today, Nick catches up with trainer Evan Williams, who has already tasted Grade One success this week with Silver Streak, while Britney Eurton recaps the best of the action from Santa Anita's opening day, including Charlatan's Malibu Stakes romp, and veterinarian and racing polymath Des Leadon takes the reins in this week's Weatherbys Bloodstock segment.

Nick is joined by journalist and broadcaster Lydia Hislop to digest all the news from the Christmas period in UK and Ireland, including the eclipse of Altior, for which trainer Nicky Henderson also provides a possible explanation. Henderson also gives thoughts as to why Epatante ran below par in the Christmas Hurdle. Nick also talks to Bryony Frost at some length about her historic win in the King George aboard Frodon and some of the challenges she has faced over the past two years, and Harry Skelton talks about Nube Negra, Politologue and the Jockeys' Championship.