The 2005 Breeders' Cup Steeplechase (NSA-I), held Oct. 22 at the Far Hills in New Jersey, will be the subject of expanded television coverage in the United States and Great Britain this week. The richest steeplechase in North America will air on ESPN2 as part of the Citgo Wire to Wire program Oct. 26 at 3:30 p.m. ET. The half-hour show will include some 10 minutes of steeplechase coverage showcasing McDynamo, the first three-time winner in the race's history. In addition to the Wednesday airing, the programs will be shown at 6 a.m. on Oct. 27 also on ESPN2. Beyond American cable outlets, the Breeders' Cup Steeplechase can be seen by racing fans in England and Ireland on the cable/satellite channel UK Racing Thursday evening and again as part of the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships coverage Saturday evening. Normally a subscription channel, UK Racing will lift its encryption for the Saturday show.
The footage from Far Hills was produced by National Steeplechase Enterprises, the marketing and development arm of the National Steeplechase Association. The undertaking required 10 cameras on the Far Hills course, a camera crane showing a fence from overhead and a stabilized camera on a moving vehicle on the backstretch and final turn. Headed by NSE managing director Sam Slater and consultant Damon Sinclair, the coverage showcases the athleticism of the Thoroughbreds that compete in steeplechase racing. "We were able to utilize 55-1 zoom lenses to bring the action up close for viewers," said Sinclair, who directed the race day coverage. "Steeplechasing is a beautiful sport and we enjoy going to extra efforts to showcase it."
