Peter Crouch Gets the Thoroughbred Treatment from Wife Abbey in Paddy Power’s Cheltenham Advert

Paddy Power’s latest advert for the Cheltenham Festival stars ex-footballer Peter Crouch, and his wife Abbey in a rather unexpected way.

Peter is shown preparing to watch the Festival at home, while being commentated on by racing pundits Matt Chapman and Gina Bryce, as if they’re assessing a horse ahead of a big race.

The tongue-in-cheek video opens on Peter in bed, waggling his (enormous) feet as he watches the racing – introduced by Chapman as “number four, Definitely Punching”.

Model Abbey throws Peter a pair of lucky pants, before he flicks through various football shirts in the wardrobe, Chapman quipping “he’s moved stables a lot” – in reference to Crouch playing for 12 different teams.

The ITV Racing presenter marvels at Crouch’s height, observing “he must be 20 hands at least.” While Bryce jokes that Crouch is “unlikely to be wanted for breeding”.

Cheltenham’s most successful jockey of all time, Ruby Walsh, makes a cameo, remarking: “Even the Irish will back this English banker.”

Eventually, Peter settles down onto the couch to watch all the action, where he accepts a snack from Abbey – a crunchy carrot. Of course.

This isn’t the first time that Crouch, a Paddy Power ambassador, has prepared for Cheltenham in hilarious fashion – before the 2020 Festival, the bookmaker released a video of him trying his luck as a jockey.

And it’s the second time the Crouchs have teamed up for Paddy Power – starring in a football advert which launched at the start of this season.

Ambassador Peter Crouch said: “Thank you, Paddy Power – it’s not often I’m compared to a thoroughbred. Usually, it’s just ‘workhorse’.

“It’s a shame we can’t be at Cheltenham this year, but Abbey and I are going to be enjoying the festival at home.”

Spokesman Paddy Power said: “Peter Crouch really can do it all. Score goals, make podcasts, and nail a Tom Cruise-style slide for those old enough to remember the movie Risky Business. Me either.

“This Cheltenham, there’ll be one mainstay of the Festival, the couch, so we wanted to celebrate the viewers’ saddle by putting the UK’s favourite couple on it, too.”

ITV Racing pundit Matt Chapman said: “Peter and Abbey could not have been more charming – I’m sure they said the same about me.

“Take 20 prepared me for the end of lockdown, when pubs open. I’m ready to order!”

Sky Sports racing presenter Gina Bryce said: “If 12 hours filming in his pants in the company of Matt Chapman got to the bottom of Peter, he was too polite to show it – a true professional.

“It was a privilege to meet both Peter and Abbey, who are great fun and even more lovely and down to earth than their public persona suggests.”

Ruby Walsh, Cheltenham’s most successful jockey of all time, said: “I’ve definitely seen worse jumpers than Crouchy, but could he do it on a cold, wet, windy night in Doncaster? Not so sure – he’s no Honeysuckle.”

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Suzanne Ashton

Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.