There were missiles in the skies of the UAE, where scores of racing professionals were left stranded, but, back in Nick Luck’s homeland, there has been much talk of a certain course in the Cotswolds.
Super Saturday went ahead at Meydan, albeit with Iranian missiles being intercepted in the skies above Dubai.
Rishi Persad was one member of the racing world left stranded in the Middle East as commercial aircraft operating out of Dubai, whose main airport had been damaged, were grounded.
Having already appeared from Dubai on his Racing TV Luck on Sunday show, Persad on Monday gave Nick Luck and listeners of the Nick Luck Daily podcast an update on the situation on the ground.
There was also an opportunity, however, to reflect on racecourse triumphs in Dubai, with Ed Crisford reflecting on a successful night for he and his father and Wathnan Racing’s Case Clay discussing the operation’s Dubai World Cup night hopefuls, as well as the achievement of its Commandment, who won the Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream on the same day as Super Saturday.
Jason Richardson was also on with a look at the efforts of Autumn Glow at Randwick and Romantic Warrior at Sha Tin and, in the week preceding the Festival, there was Cheltenham chat from Eddie Harty and Noel Kelly.
Dave ‘Newsboy’ Yates was Luck’s main guest on Tuesday, the pair primarily discussing the fallout of Lord Allen’s departure as BHA Chair.
Ascot CEO Felicity Barnard admitted that her course could walk away from the RCA, a BHA Board member, should a review of internal RCA governance not be administered.
The BHA’s then acting, now permanent, CEO Brant Dunshea was asked about that and more.
You can read our coverage of Lord Allen’s resignation and its knock-on effects here.
Also on Tuesday, Cheltenham conversations continued via Barry Connell on Marine Nationale, who won’t be defending his Champion Chase crown, and Marin Belloir of Haras de la Baie, breeders of Jango Baie, a Gold Cup hopeful.
Discussion around Lord Allen continued on Wednesday, when Lydia Hislop was Luck’s podcast partner.
Joseph O’Brien, who sends a string of horses to Cheltenham next week, was also a guest, as was Cheltenham’s clerk of the course Jon Pullin, who walked Luck through watering plans and provided a going update with less than a week to wait until the famous opening race roar.
Relatively new trainer Max Comley was on Wednesday’s show too, as was new Women in Racing Chair Cheryl Caves, who told Luck about a midlife and menopause study undertaken for the organisation.
Mick and David Easterby were also called upon to discuss a new horse in training owned by the Old Gold Racing syndicate organisation.
With Jane Mangan his main guest, Thursday’s episode saw Luck ask Eddie O’Leary, son of Gigginstown supremo Michael O’Leary, about runners carrying the Gigginstown silks in the Cotswolds next week.
Luck also spoke to jockey Derek O’Connor about two big rides at Cheltenham next week, there was a chat with RMG’s Marketing Director Clive Cottrell about the organisation’s partnership with the Teenage Cancer Trust and Ben Atkins was back, marking the return of point-to-pointing to the podcast.
After news arrived regarding the death of Louis Romanet, his successor as IFHA Chair Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges gave a tribute on Friday’s podcast.
Here’s what Engelbrecht-Bresges had to say.
There was also a tribute to ‘colourful’ owner Tony Collins, as well as a discussion with the BHA’s Richard Wayman, who told Luck about the organisation’s new training fees credit scheme.
Then, of course, there was continuing Cheltenham chat, this time from Paul Nolan, Paul Ferguson and, through a Goffs interview with Oli Bell, Nicky Henderson.
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