Hot Docs

Three high-calibre racehorses vie to become top racer at the Toberona Stables in the wake of champion Accordion Etoile’s recent retirement. Ardalan is the diminutive underdog. Perhaps too brave for his own good, he insists on jumping the big fences. Highly attuned Cuan na Grai, still recovering from a tendon injury, is the sensitive, sometimes self-harming, head case. Meanwhile, Joncol is the gentle giant and might be the stable’s best bet to win. Told from an equine perspective, the film captures these elite athletes expressing boredom, anxiety, and focus through body language. Training, travel, and post-race cool-down render the stress and expectations of racing downright palpable. Trainer Paul Nolan provides human insight into performance strategies, the importance of holidays, and shit races. Horses is a suspenseful year in the life of three horses always one race away from a win—or one injury away from retirement. - Angie Driscoll