Andrew Balding and Oisin Murphy to feature in Amazon Prime documentary

Classic-winning trainer Andrew Balding and three-time champion jockey Oisin Murphy are set to be the stars of a four-part documentary that producers hope will offer unprecedented access and insight into the racing world.

Horsepower will launch exclusively on Amazon Prime Video in Britain and Ireland on September 23, with viewers invited to join Balding and Murphy over a turbulent nine-month period, with stakes riding high as Balding strives to establish his yard as one of the superpowers in British racing and Murphy faces a ban for a positive drugs test.

The four-part documentary from Lorton Entertainment, made in conjunction with Equine Productions, was filmed from autumn 2020 through to the summer of 2021 and will be seen as a massive opportunity for British racing to connect with a new audience.

In its fourth season, hit Netflix series Drive To Survive has been credited with providing a huge boost to the popularity of Formula One and rumours of a similar series based around racing have been rife since last year, with Horsepower the first out of the stalls.

"In the 20 years since I've been in charge at Kingsclere no-one else has been given the level of access provided to the Horsepower team for this series," Balding said.

"Viewers get to go behind the scenes and see how a racehorse trainer and his team operate, including the meticulous preparation ahead of races both abroad and in the UK, culminating with the five days of Royal Ascot. Horsepower showcases the highs and lows of this incredible sport and I am very proud to be a part of it."

Murphy is serving a 14-month riding ban, which is not covered by the documentary, for breaching Covid rules, conduct prejudicial to the sport's reputation and two positive alcohol tests and is set to return to action next year.

According to the rider, the series "brilliantly captures" a tempestuous time in his career and shows him at his "best and worst" over the four episodes.

He added:"All the ups and downs of being a champion jockey are laid bare on Horsepower, this is where I tell my story. I allowed the Horsepower cameras to see me at my best and my worst because I want people to understand the pressures that come with success for a jockey. The series brilliantly captures this during what was a very challenging time in my career."

Oisin Murphy: one of the main focuses of the new Horsepower documentaryCredit: Edward Whitaker

Julian Bird, CEO of Lorton Entertainment, hopes the documentary will break new ground for racing and has the capabilities to grasp the attention of longtime fans of the sport and newcomers.

Bird said: "Horsepower tells a story that has not been covered in this manner or depth before and in doing so reveals so many fascinating and moving storylines. It will enthral those with an existing interest in racing and intrigue and delight newcomers to the sport. We believe it will appeal to a range of audiences and has the potential to cross over in the manner that Drive To Survive and The Last Dance have done."

Read this next:

Oisin Murphy: 'I can't wait to get back but I know it won't be easy'

Sign up to receive On The Nose, our essential daily newsletter, from the Racing Post. Your unmissable morning feed, direct to your email inbox every morning.