Stars go Racing

convert

Stars go Racing’, RTE One, Wednesday 20th July 2011, 8.30pm

‘Stars go Racing’, RTE’s new six-part reality series, in association with Horse Racing Ireland, comes to air on RTE One next Wednesday 20th July at 8.30pm.

Six well-known Irish personalities - Linda Martin, Francis Brennan, Jean Byrne, Alan Quinlan, Ella McSweeney and Mike Denver - will take the reins to learn the business of horse training from some of Ireland’s top trainers and compete with each other at a series of race meetings nationwide. The overall final will take place at Leopardstown racecourse where the best racing team will lift the trophy.

Speaking about the upcoming series, Director of Communications at Horse Racing Ireland Michael O’Rourke said: “Irish people love horse-racing but rarely get to see behind the scenes. This series will show the hard work and dedication that goes into getting a horse ready for its day at the races. It will also bring viewers a sense of the extraordinary skill and affinity with horses that our trainers have. It promises to be great fun as well as the colourful cast of characters interact along the way.”

Ray McCarthy, Commissioning Editor for Regional Programmes, said: “RTE’s looking forward to bringing its new series Stars Go Racing, in association with Horse Racing Ireland, to air this July. This original format promises to deliver great entertainment and fun for six weeks this summer. In the series, six well known personalities will get to learn what it takes to become a horse trainer, as they work alongside some of the best names in the business. Horse-racing is such a particular passion of the Irish and RTE wanted to commission a programme that brought viewers all the excitement of the summer race season and also an insight into the hard work involved behind the scenes. RTE’s delighted to have Horse Racing Ireland on board who have brought a vast wealth of expertise and talent to the project.”

Singer Linda Martin will work with trainer David Marnane; hotelier and TV presenter Francis Brennan will work with trainer Joanna Morgan; weatherwoman Jean Byrne is paired with trainer Willie McCreery; presenter Ella McSweeney will work with trainer Michael Halford; singer Mike Denver will work with trainer Adrian McGuinness and Munster rugby’s Alan Quinlan will work with trainer Jessica Harrington.

Each week, the show will come from a different location across Ireland as our new trainers strive to qualify for the final by competing in real races at Limerick, Bellewstown, Killarney and the Curragh. Five of the six will go through to compete for the Leopardstown Cup. ‘Stars Go Racing’ brings viewers the passion, excitement and authentically-Irish flavor of horse racing across the country, during the summer season, as six celebrity-led teams battle it out to win the trophy.

‘Stars go Racing’ airs on RTE One on Wednesday 20th July at 8.30pm.

Link

So.... what do ye think?

ft9

I'm looking forward to it anyway, I love any programmes or docs on trainers, giving a behind the scenes look at their yard

troops

looks like a pile of sh1te to me.

Harry Angstrom

It sounds a bit shyte but if it promotes racing, then that's good. If people seriously think that these so-called "celebrities" have any hand, act or part in training the horses then they'll be seriously deluded. The closest they'll get to helping the horse along will be to muck out its box.

I'll probably watch it just to see if Jean Byrne is wearing anything of an S&M nature :pac:

Nulty

Six well-known Irish personalities - Linda Martin, Francis Brennan, Jean Byrne, Alan Quinlan, Ella McSweeney and Mike Denver

Who!?

0_o

convert

Just saw the ad for this on RTE... Francis Brennan asked 'do horses spit?' :rolleyes:

kfallon

Well what else is there to watch at 8.30 of a wednesday during the summer? I'll tune in anyway

UrbanSea

I'll watch it if I'm not pissed.

ppink

Bets on Quinlan and Harrington:pac:

krustydoyle

How sexy is jean byrne... Looking forward to seeing how this pans out..

ppink

lol I was laughing at her trainer who was all bluster about work this and work that and no time for slackers type of attitude and in she walked and his tongue looked like it hit the floor:D

Nulty

Is tonight the first episode?

Harry Angstrom

Nulty wrote: »

Is tonight the first episode?

Last week was the first episode. You'll probably still be able to see it on the RTE iplayer.

I'm scratching my head at this programme. What kind of input does the so-called "celebrity" put into the training and preparation of the horses involved? Sweet FA as far as I can see. While I applaud any kind of horse racing programme being shown on the primetime RTE shedules, this show only seems to be a propaganda piece funded by the HRI to get people to go racing. Nothing more and nothing less.

UrbanSea

I still haven't seen it.
The ads look quite poor.

Nulty

It's not great Urban but I didn't have great expectations. It's exactly what you'd expect.

mccarte2

Greatest waste of television. If RTE were serious about a racing reality show they wouldn't have it in their summer schedule when no-one is watching.

TheBunk1

convert wrote: »

Just saw the ad for this on RTE... Francis Brennan asked 'do horses spit?' :rolleyes:

"No Francis, they swallow; ye dirty yoke" :pac:

ft9

Show has been fairly sh!te. Not much shown behind the scenes in the trainers yard, more emphasis placed on the celebrity and how nervous they are.

Anyway, just seen on Irish Racing that the final of this series goes ahead tomorrow evening in Leopardstown, so we'l actually know the result before the series is over...

The television cameras will be out in force at Leopardstown tomorrow evening as the Foxrock venue hosts the Leopardstown Cup Handicap, the finale of the RTE1 reality series “Stars Go Racing” in which six celebrities are matched with different trainer's and compete over a series of weeks.
The five Leopardstown Cup runners, together with their trainer and celebrity, are:

Toufan Express (Ado McGuinness and country singer Mike Denver), Barrow Island (Mick Halford and TV presenter Ella McSweeney), Colour Of Love (Willie McCreery and meteorologist Jean Byrne), Crystal Morning (Jessica Harrington and rugby international Alan Quinlan) and Six Silver Lane (Joanna Morgan and hotelier Francis Brennan).

Linda Martin, who worked with Bansha trainer David Marnane, is the only one to miss out on tomorrow's “final” as five runners go to post in a mile event at 7.35pm.

http://www.irishracing.com/v5newsitem?prt=L&prid=55367

kfallon

Glad I won't be at Leopardstown tonight so :P

I watched the first 2 episodes, after that I couldn't be arsed!