Ep 645 - A Numbers Game

Nick is joined by RTE and Racing TV broadcaster Jane Mangan for the final Daily Show of 2022. They reflect on the notable landmarks posted over the last few days - Mullins, Buick, O'Brien - with particular focus on Willie Mullins's haul of Grade 1s, bolstered again at Leopardstown yesterday. Willie's brother Tom, who defeated him in the bumper with a 'for sale' homebred offers his thoughts on what he believes is his "most exciting horse since Menorah", and talks candidly about the need for smaller trainers to be traders to survive. Fergal O'Brien joins the show to talk about reaching the 100-winner mark for the season plus his three runners in Saturday's Challow Hurdle at Newbury, while Middleham Park's Tom Palin looks forward to Marie's Rock's return at Cheltenham Sunday. With encouraging attendance figures over the Christmas period, Chepstow's Phil Bell tells Nick why closer links with Welsh government during the pandemic may have helped raise racing's profile in Wales. Plus, Jane gives her four fancies for the big Festival races with the Christmas action in the rearview.