'I felt like I was taking off' - King George thrills and spills light up opening episode of Champions: Full Gallop

The first episode of Champions: Full Gallop, the new behind-the-scenes docuseries on jump racing, aired in a primetime slot on ITV1 at 9pm on Friday night. Catherine Macrae provides a recap of the action, which centres around the King George VI Chase last Christmas.

The might of Nicholls

Champions: Full Gallop opens with a Christmas episode. There's talk of Santa and turkey dinners, festive clothing is worn, and above all it's the time of year jump racing descends on Kempton for the King George.

The first episode, titled 'David vs Goliath', focuses on the Grade 1 chase in order to introduce viewers to a host of racing's biggest names. We're whisked away first to meet our Goliath, also known as Paul Nicholls, described as "racing's Sir Alex Ferguson" by broadcaster Ed Chamberlin.

Paul Nicholls at Kempton before the 2023 King George VI ChaseCredit: ITV

Thirteen King George victories feature on his glowing roll of honour but there's also credit paid to his meticulous planning by stable jockey Harry Cobden, who seems at ease in front of the camera. Nicholls' dedication to his work is clear to see.

"Winning is an addiction," Nicholls says. "There's no other feeling like walking into that winner's enclosure, it's just indescribable. Euphoria."

Champions: Full Gallop

• When to watch, TV details, where to stream and more 

Shark on the hunt

Who, then, is our David? Look no further than County Carlow, where Shark Hanlon is emboldened by an underdog spirit to send his star runner across the sea for Boxing Day.

Hanlon has never taken part in the King George but hopes to make his mark with the resilient Hewick, who was bought for just €850. While Nicholls is about polished routine, Hanlon adopts a spirit of revelry, which included taking Hewick into a local pub after his win in the 2022 US Grand National Hurdle.

Shark Hanlon at his yard in County CarlowCredit: ITV

"Everyone else was going to the pub, why couldn't he?" Hanlon reasons.

Hewick's owner TJ McDonald muses over what Hanlon could do with the spending power of someone like Nicholls, but without it he has still managed to make lemonade out of lemons. All that's left is a bid for Grade 1 glory in December's prestigious race.

Meet the opposition

Boxing Day is upon us and horses arrive at Kempton, treating us to a breakdown of the competition.

There's last year's winner Bravemansgame, the ride of Cobden, and the strong-willed Shishkin and his jockey Nico de Boinville, who comes across thoughtful and reflective in what is likely to be his final decade in the sport.

Nico de Boinville comes across thoughtful and reflectiveCredit: ITV

"The injuries side of it is part of the job and it's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when," he states, mindful of his children watching each fall he takes. "Every time we go to the races we could be not coming back that night. That's the reality."

We are also introduced to Bryony Frost and her beloved Frodon, another former winner of the race. Frost's love for her mount is plain to see as the Nicholls-trained runner gears up for what could be his final hurrah.

"He's achieved more than I ever imagined he could for me," she says. "He's made my world."

Flying and falling

The stage is set and we get one last run-through of the players: Cobden, De Boinville, Frost and Gavin Sheehan, who is getting on Hewick for the first time.

"Expected him to be a bit bigger," Sheehan says after mounting. "He's got a big old heart, though."

The jockeys circle at the start, where there's some cahoots to try to get Shishkin to misbehave. Yet their ploy fails, and the King George begins.

Gavin Sheehan partnered Hewick in the 2023 King George VI ChaseCredit: ITV

We race first with Frodon, then Bravemansgame, then Hewick, as each jockey divulges their thoughts. For Sheehan, trailing in last, the thoughts aren't good.

Frodon is the first to struggle and Shishkin sweeps readily to the lead. We all know how this goes, right? A slip on landing after the second-last spells the end as De Boinville crashes to the ground.

"You've gone from thinking you're king of the world and the next you're face down in the dirt," the jockey summarises. "That's jump racing."

Hewick's heroics

Of course, there is still a race to be won. Allaho picks up where Shishkin left off, getting his first mention in the episode (don't worry, Willie Mullins fans, I'm sure there's lots to look forward to ahead).

Bravemansgame chases Allaho down and Cobden assumes success is near, but out of the clouds comes Hewick, powering home to the disbelief of Sheehan.

"I was out the back on my own, praying for a set of wings, jumped the second-last and as I passed Nico on the ground I felt like I was taking off," he recalls.

Gavin Sheehan celebrates his King George VI Chase success on HewickCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

The celebrations are in typical Hanlon fashion, but for every winner there's a loser. De Boinville is despondent on his way back to the weighing room but he's among many to congratulate Sheehan for his victory. It feels like this King George was the perfect combination of thrills and spills.

The episode ends with a four-week jump, as we see the popular Frodon sail off into retirement to live with Frost in Devon.

"He's finished his career on his terms, which is our biggest achievement," she says. "I can now give back what's he's given to me in so many ways."

Finally, we fly back to County Carlow, where Shark holds the King George trophy aloft in his yard. Hewick's trainer and owner head out to the field to pat their Grade 1 winner, with thoughts of the Cheltenham Festival no doubt circling their mind.

There are still three months to go, though, and a lot can happen in the world of racing.

Where and when to watch Champions: Full Gallop

• Episode two of the docuseries will be broadcast on ITV1 at 9pm on Friday, July 26
• Now available to stream on ITVX: episode 1, episode 2 and episode 3

Read these next:

Who are Harry Cobden, Nico de Boinville, Bryony Frost and the stars of ITV's new racing show Champions: Full Gallop? 

'It's like being centre-circle at a Euros game' - Ed Chamberlin hails 'great insight' of ITV's new jump racing series 

Bargain buys, Grade 1 wins and big dreams - five reasons why Shark Hanlon has built up a huge following 

Who is Frodon, why was he so popular and where is he now? 

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