Saturday at Cheltenham brought a deeply moving moment for commentator John Hunt. Known as the voice of racing on Radio Five, Hunt was in the grandstand calling home Faye Bramley’s Glengouly in the feature race. Yet beneath the usual professional calm, emotion was palpable as he joined his daughter Amy on stage to present the weekend’s biggest prize.
Reflecting on the week, Hunt described it as “eventful, tough and joyful.” “It’s been a very eventful week, but as soon as the flag goes up, you have to focus,” he said. “I’m thrilled for Faye — her horse was dominant throughout every fence. Amy embodies resilience and strength, qualities shared by all my girls.”
Hunt’s connection with Cheltenham runs deep, dating back to his first visit with his father in 1982. This year, the event held extra significance. Earlier in the week, Cheltenham announced that the feature race at the December meeting would be renamed the Support The Hunt Family Fund December Gold Cup Handicap Chase, honoring the fund established in memory of Hunt’s wife Carol and daughters Hannah and Louise, tragically lost last July.
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The course also hosted a Winter Wonderland fundraising event, drawing notable figures from racing and other sports, alongside an online auction. Together, these efforts have raised over £250,000 to support the fund.
Speaking to ITV, Hunt candidly shared how sport has been a vital part of his healing process since that heartbreaking day. “Returning to work was difficult—I initially had no connection with it. But it was important to keep moving forward. Amy and I often say you have to ‘go through the uncomfortable to become more comfortable.’ That mantra keeps us going.”
He added, “It’s only been this summer that I’ve started to feel a spark again. The connection to sport and racing is coming back slowly, but days like this are crucial.”
Looking ahead, Hunt emphasized the fund’s commitment to those in need. “We’ll take a moment to pause with the new year, but then we will focus on making a real difference. We lost three amazing girls, but we know there are many women and girls out there struggling. We want to stand with them and support them financially as much as we can.”