The fourth edition of Racing League, live on Sky Sports Racing, is almost upon us. The teams compete to see who will follow in the footsteps of Team Talksport, Wales & The West and Team Ireland to become the next winner.
A couple of differences you may notice this year include the fact that we are racing without a break so it’s six consecutive Thursdays of action. One thing that hasn’t changed from 2023 is that the series kicks off at Yarmouth and I’ve tried to find five runners that may be worth following at the East Anglia venue on Thursday.
Watch every contest on Race Week 1 of the Racing League from Yarmouth live on Sky Sports Racing (Sky 415 | Virgin 519) on Thursday 25th July
The defending champions Ireland won’t be giving up their title without a fight and have a very strong hand in the six-furlong handicap,Race 2 at 6.00. However, I quite like the look of INGRA TOR for Jack Channon and the London & The South team.
He had some smart form as a three-year-old handicapper which included a win in a high end handicap at Newmarket at the Guineas Festival. He has yet to recapture that decent form but here were signs last time at Doncaster that he was on the way back when he travelled well for a long way before finishing third. From what looks a good draw in four, he should be able to travel well into the race under David Probert and if he’s near the 9-1 mark then would make some each-way appeal in what looks a strong contest.
Wales & The West and Saffie Osborne in particular were dominant on this night last year and they look to have an excellent chance in the seven-furlong handicap,Race 4 at 7.00, with Clive Cox’s PEDRO VALENTINO. The progressive grey put in a dominant display when successful at Haydock two runs ago and probably bumped into a handicap good thing at Ascot last time in the shape of Kodi Lion. He looked the winner until quite late in that race and can upstage his teammate Yantarni to land the big score.
EQUITY LAW was massively underwhelming at Windsor last time, but many horses just don’t perform around that turning track and the return to a more conventional straight five furlongs in Race 5 at 7.30 should see Andrew Balding’s 3yo in a much better light. He was impressive at Sandown in a deep looking handicap back in April and a return to that sort of form would see him tough to beat in this. His London & The South teammate Miss Attitude is probably the main danger.
It’s great to have Charlie Johnston on board the good ship Team Scotland this year and he could play a massive hand in the staying handicaps throughout the series. His father Mark used to excel at this time of the year with the improving stayers and BAILEY’S KHELSTAR in Race 6 at 8.00 fits that bill.
The son of Cloth of Stars won his first two starts this season, including at Ascot, and looked set to land the hat-trick at Ayr last month when cruising into the lead over two furlongs from home. However, the wily old veteran Euchen Glen got the better of him in the final furlong. That was still a good effort and the 4yo can get right back on the winning trail at a course where he ran well at last season. Another positive is that he has his regular pilot on board in the shape of the evergreen Joe Fanning.
Yorkshire look to have made a huge signing in recruiting Newmarket trainer James Tate to their squad and his runner FLYING FRONTIER could take the maximum points in the 1m 2f finale, Race 7 at 8.30. The Farrh colt may well take a step forward from his seasonal debut at Sandown last month when finishing eighth in a well contested 0-100 15-runner handicap.
He wasn’t actually beaten that far and reported hung left which wouldn’t have helped his cause. The three horses at the top of the market all have sound claims so he’s no good thing but should give Joanna Mason a good spin if keeping straight and makes some appeal at around the 8-1 mark.
Watch every contest on Race Week 1 of the Racing League from Yarmouth live on Sky Sports Racing (Sky 415 | Virgin 519) on Thursday 25th July
FAQs
Racing League is a team, points-based, horse racing competition launched in July 2021 for six weeks hosted at racecourses around the UK. Over the six fixture Racing League competition teams go head to head for points and prize money in each race.
Are there leagues in horse racing? ›
The Mission of the National Thoroughbred League is to deliver the greatest sports and entertainment experience in the world. We bring joy, energy and excitement through our league of NTL teams. Safety of horses, jockeys and all participants is our priority.
What channel is racing League on? ›
Luke Harvey presents all the action from the fifth round of the 2024 Racing League from Newcastle - analysis comes from Megan Nicholls with commentary from Mark Johnson.
What is the new racing League? ›
What is Racing League? Racing League was formed to bring a new team aspect to horse racing and hopefully with that a new audience. The first season was 2021 with the competition getting fiercer each year. Each week will have seven races with an optimum 14 runners, two horses from each team competing for points.
What are the big 3 horse racing? ›
Triple Crown, in American horse racing, championship attributed to a three-year-old Thoroughbred that in a single season wins the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes.
Which class is hardest in horse racing? ›
Stakes. Stakes are the highest level of competition in horse racing. There are levels within this level: non-listed stakes, listed stakes, handicaps, and graded stakes (Grade 3, Grade 2, and Grade 1).
Are horses male or female in racing? ›
The short answer is that racehorses can be either male or female: both can participate in most races and there are examples of great racehorses in either category. However, it is easy to see why some spectators may be confused – there does tend to be more male horses than females competing in British racing.
What states still allow horse racing? ›
States with Race Tracks
- Alabama. Alaska. Arizona. Arkansas. B. C.
- California. Colorado. Connecticut. D. Delaware. E. F. ...
- Idaho. Illinois. Indiana. Iowa. J. K.
- Kansas. Kentucky. L. Louisiana. M. Maine. Maryland. ...
- Nebraska. Nevada. New Hampshire. New Jersey. New Mexico. New York. North Carolina. ...
- Pennsylvania. Q. R. Rhode Island. S. South Carolina. South Dakota.
With various types of races worldwide, horse racing continues to thrive and remain popular. Flat racing and thoroughbreds are the most popular, but there are also harness racing and quarter horses.
Is racing channel free? ›
Yes! The Racing America 24/7 Channel is available for free on multiple streaming services and devices.
Watch Racing TV in HD on Sky channel 424. How do I join Racing TV as a Sky customer? To join Racing TV please visit racingtv.com/join or call our team on 0344 855 1881 (UK) or 0818 776 700 (ROI). How much does Racing TV on Sky cost?
How can I watch the racing channel? ›
Racing fans can watch live racing for metropolitan, provincial and country race meets in Victoria and South Australia on free-to-air digital television (Channel 68/78), via Foxtel Channel 529, or via desktop, mobile and tablet - free of charge - through the Racing.com website & app (for Racing+ members).
How does the racing League work? ›
The league is accumulative and points-based across all six fixtures, with each team ideally fielding two runners in each race – for fields of 14 – although just two of the seven races at Yarmouth have full fields (the second fixture at Wolverhampton has maximum fields of 13 with each race featuring one team only able ...
Why did SRX cancel? ›
The sponsorship market in motorsports has been soft for years, another factor that likely contributed to SRX's decision. SRX did sell out many of its races and attracted many big names in racing to compete over its three seasons including NASCAR stars like Chase Elliott, Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski and Denny Hamlin.
What is the highest class in horse racing? ›
The highest level is Grade 1, where horses compete off the same weight (but with allowances for age or gender), and this includes illustrious races such as the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Champion Hurdle.
Why do they guild race horses? ›
Reasons for gelding. A male horse is often gelded to make him better-behaved and easier to control. Gelding can also remove lower-quality animals from the gene pool.
What are the pro horse races? ›
Major Horse Races
| Pegasus World Cup | January | Gulfstream Park |
|---|
| Personal Ensign Stakes | August | Saratoga |
| Allen Jerkens | August | Saratoga |
| Ballerina | August | Saratoga |
| Travers Stakes | August | Saratoga |
111 more rowsGrand Prix: the highest level of show jumping. Run under International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) rules, the horse jumps a course of 10 to 16 obstacles, with heights up to 1.6 meters (5 feet 3 inches) and spreads of up to 2.0 metres (6 ft 7 in).
