Racing League begins at Newcastle on Thursday, July 29, with 12 teams battling for points over six weeks and £50,000 in prize-money per race; watch Racing League Live on Sky Sports Racing on Thursday from 5.30pm
Thursday 29 July 2021 12:19, UK
Sky Sports Racing's senior analyst Jamie Lynch takes a close look at each of the six races on the opening night of Racing League 2021 and selects his ones to watch and lively longshots.
One to watch - FAUSTUS (Team Newmarket Red)
One of just four three-year-olds in the race, Faustus had been keeping better company prior to dipping down to a 0-75 handicap at Lingfield last month and making short work of six rivals, with the third home (Ehrmann) successful since.
That was on soft ground but Faustus won on the All-Weather in his first season, at Wolverhampton, a Tapeta surface like Newcastle.
Sprinters from Robert Cowell's stable often stay in the fast lane of improvement once they get into it, as Lingfield suggested he was.
Lively longshot - MAY REMAIN (Team BullionVault)
Successful three times on the All-Weather at Dundalk in Ireland in the winter of 2019/20 yet has not had much exposure on it in his time with the in-form George Baker.
The return to synthetics, and the removal of headgear, could easily act as a catalyst for a comeback by him, on top of the fact he has slipped in the handicap this year (from 80 to 74) with a few excuses along the way.
One to watch - MOHAREB (Team Arena)
Looking for the 'London buses' effect here, as he ended a long losing run at Lingfield a fortnight ago, cosily so, and he is still well handicapped on his old form.
He has once finished second from just two attempts at this track, and is partnered by the team rider, Cam Hardie, whose specialist subject is sprints at Newcastle.
Lively longshot - BOWLING RUSSIAN (Team BullionVault)
Finished last on his latest start, but was coming off an absence, and that was on turf, when all four of his wins have come on the All-Weather.
Furthermore, a visor is reinstated for this, following his sharpener in cheekpieces, and that exact headgear switch resulted in success in November. Plus, he is just 3 lb higher now.
One to watch - WOVEN (Team Arena)
This will be his 20th handicap, but his first in a 0-90, having been in bigger and better events all of his life.
He has not long been with the excellent Michael Dods, and now gets the chance to express himself over seven furlongs (the trip at which he has recorded both his wins) after three runs for the stable over six furlongs.
The latest effort came in a hot handicap here at Newcastle where three of the four that beat him were rated in the high-90's.
Lively longshot - EAGLE CREEK (Team Race Horse Lotto)
He has never been so low in the handicap than he is now and there were better signs last time when fifth to Gavi Di Gavi at Kempton under pace-pushing tactics from stall one that perhaps did not fit with him.
He has done especially well when the surface is riding slow, such as his last win at Chelmsford, from off the pace, and Newcastle's Tapeta has tended to be that way all year.
One to watch - BONNEVAL (Team talkSPORT)
Patience is a virtue. Unraced at two, and unleashed just twice at three, Bonneval is thriving on more repeated racing this year and goes from strength to strength.
He has been unlucky not to get a win yet this season, especially so at Ascot last time when carried left while challenging.
He is partnered for the first time by team rider Jack Mitchell who has an 18 per cent strike-rate at Newcastle in the last couple of years.
Lively longshot - ATHEEB (Team Race Horse Lotto)
One of the stories of the season has been the rapid rise of trainer George Boughey and one of the very few of his recruits he is yet to get to grips with is Atheeb, but the four-year-old is well handicapped if staging a resurgence.
There was at least a little more fire in his belly last time, after an absence and a wind operation over seven furlongs, but his standout success came over a mile, and on the All-Weather, off a mark just 1 lb lower than he now finds himself.
One to watch - TRUE SCARLET (Team Swish)
Handicaps at Newbury take some winning, more so when there are 15 runners, and the 6 lb True Scarlet has been raised for her victory at the start of the month to some extent is softened by the services of team rider Saffie Osborne, who claims 5 lb as an apprentice.
These are deeper waters for True Scarlet, but she is swimming stronger all the time, plus she was an All-Weather winner last year.
Ed Walker has sent out 10 winners in July, including in a Group One.
Lively longshot - GREYSTOKE (Team Remulate Racing)
The trip (one mile) was too short for Greystoke at Salisbury on his latest start.
He was as short as 9-4 there because of the strength of his form the time before at Newmarket when fourth, which has been advertised in style since by the winner and runner-up.
Greystoke has won on Tapeta, and he is best in a well-run race, which is very much on the cards here.
One to watch - MR CURIOSITY (Team Goat Racing)
He is arguably fortunate to be able to make his handicap debut in the Racing League.
Mr Curiosity could easily have been looking at a mark in the mid-90s based on who he beat at Bath - a pair who won next time and are themselves rated in the high-80 - and who beat him at Kempton, Great Voltigeur entry Manobo.
Unraced at two years old, and by Frankel, he has a ticket to take-off in handicaps.
Lively longshot - BILLY NO MATES (Team Arena)
He has raced over longer trips than this for the last 12 months, but such stamina may be a positive if this race plays out as predicted.
He is now only 1 lb above his last winning mark following a needy reappearance.
If the pace is fast and the surface slow, he will be stronger than most in the finish.
Watch every moment of the Racing League exclusively live on Sky Sports Racing from 5.30pm every Thursday from July 29 or follow all action on our live blog.
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