Sky Bet Sunday Series: Oli Bell preview
I've been keen to showcase Sunday racing for some time and the fact that Sky Bet, RMG and ITV are doing it this summer is wonderful.
It’s going to look and feel different for the viewers – we want everyone to enjoy it, families to sit down and watch the wonderful action together on a Sunday afternoon.
There are incentives too - £600,000 in prize-money (up from £150,000) is on offer across the meetings at Musselburgh, Haydock and Sandown.
Any owner of a horse who wins at each and every fixture of the series will be entitled to a £100,000 bonus, with the money split if more than one manages to achieve it. There's a £100,000 bonus for any jockey who rides seven winners across the three days too.
I’m aware for valets and stable staff it might not be wildly convenient to be racing later on a Sunday but we’re trying something different and the prize for best-turned-out horse will be increased to £250 and there’s a £10,000 bonus for stable staff in addition.
The whole programme – the whole series – is about inclusion.
We’ll cover some really heart-warming and lovely stories and break down the sport for a new audience with certain behind-the-scenes features.
But we’re not ignoring the racing fans either – there’s some very high level analysis involved too in terms of previewing races with sectional times, tactics and much more. Timeform masterclasses and star ratings will help the viewer gain more understanding of previewing and assessing a race.
We’ll showcase pony racing, the work of the stable staff and everyone in the sport with lots of initiatives to help us along the way.
You might be accustomed to seeing people in top hats and tails, shirts and ties, at the races but the Sunday Series is going to be relaxed and fun. We’ll be quite off-the-cuff and whether you’re a racegoer at the track or watching from home we want you to feel involved.
When I’m presenting we’ll take the camera around the course, finding people to talk to whether that’s an owner in the parade ring, a group having a drink in the bar or punter celebrating a win.
We want to covey the enjoyment that a day at the races brings and deliver it into people’s living rooms.
It’s a challenge but a very exciting one. I can’t wait for it to launch.
When is the Sky Bet Sunday Series?
Musselburgh July 25 - 3.45-7.00 on ITV4 and Racing TV
Haydock August 8 - 3.45-7.00 on ITV4 and Racing TV
Sandown August 22 - 3.45-7.15 on ITV4 and Racing TV
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