Amongst sports fans, the question of who is the G.O.A.T (greatest of all time) is hotly debated. Ahead of Cheltenham Festival, a new campaign from Sky Bet argues: ‘The G.O.A.T is a horse’.

Positioning the racehorse as an elite athlete, the campaign, created by Anomaly, is the first iteration of an always-on racing platform to be launched at the Cheltenham Festival.

The dynamic spot explains how racehorses are ‘greater’, ‘faster’ and ‘stronger’, as footage of the elite animal in action is paired with a dramatic voice over, to build-up excitement ahead of race weekend.

The spot begins with the voiceover: ‘Who is the greatest you ask?’ playing into the conversation that sports fans have. Instead of the usual answers of Serena Williams or Cristiano Ronaldo, audiences are shown the powerful racehorse and its ability to compete with a human on its back. Dramatic shots of the animal complete with dynamic lighting and racing action show the thoroughbred racehorse to be the true pinnacle of athletic greatness.

The campaign was directed by Cheltenham-born Leigh Powis, alongside photographer Thomas Prior, who is renowned for his skill in capturing the ‘horse form’. The collaborators for the campaign were chosen specifically for their track record in capturing the world’s greatest athletes and working for the biggest sports brands.

The campaign is an ode to the sporting excellence on show at Cheltenham and has been designed to capture the imaginations of fans by engaging in wider cultural conversations around elite athleticism.

“In a category so used to shouting about price and promos in order to grab attention, it has been a real pleasure instead to focus on the amazing athletes that make sports so entertaining for our fans,” says Coral Cranmer, Marketing Director at Sky Bet.

She continues: “We were so delighted with the bold vision of the G.O.A.T presented by the team at Anomaly and how they have truly understood the assignment to bring a huge dose of Sky cinematic magic to our Cheltenham Campaign.”

The campaign will run across TV, digital, social, and out-of-home platforms, positioning Cheltenham as the must-watch event of the racing calendar.

The ‘The G.O.A.T is a horse’ campaign encourages conversations with fans, while aiming to build Sky Bet’s new racing platform and establish the brand as a go-to for elite sporting competitions.