Wales & The West lead The East by 11 points after the first week of Racing League 2023; Saffie Osborne rode a treble at Yarmouth; watch every contest on week two of the Racing League from Chepstow live on Sky Sports Racing on Thursday August 10
Wednesday 9 August 2023 16:46, UK
Reigning champions Wales & The West have made a flying start and their manager Jamie Osborne is hoping for some home advantage at Chepstow on Thursday, all live on Sky Sports Racing.
I couldn't have been happier to see us put four winners on the board on the opening night of the Racing League at Yarmouth last month, but the early league table tells its own story - winners alone are not enough to clinch you the title.
Every team manager wants to win this - we're all competitive animals - and Matt Chapman feels he has a score to settle after we snatched victory from his grasp on the final day last year, so every point matters.
Matt won't miss a trick in trying to get the better of me for his team London & The South, who look strong again, so I won't be taking anything for granted.
Despite dominating the action at the seaside track, thanks largely to my daughter Saffie Osborne's magnificent treble, we still only emerged with a slender 11-point lead over The East.
The league table shows the importance of backing up your winners with placed runners, too, and we had too many blow outs. Frankie Dettori's mob didn't only close the gap by winning the last race but also by filling second spot, too.
That was a 'home' fixture for them, and despite our dominance we put out what I described as a moderate team, but we're back on our own patch on Thursday and I'm much happier with our strength in depth.
Conditions at Chepstow are probably going to be more testing than we first anticipated, so we had to make a few adjustments to our plans before declaration time. It's a strong team, though, spearheaded by a horse and rider from my own stable.
My daughter Saffie has another five rides, which means she only has 15 of her permitted 24 left, so I will be treading carefully with her in the remaining four rounds after this, but I particularly wanted her for my own filly EXECUTIVE DECISION.
She heads to Chepstow under a 6lb penalty for winning nicely for Saffie at Goodwood last week and despite giving weight to all her rivals in the six-furlong handicap (6.30) is our best chance of a winner on the night in a weaker race than the one she contested on the Downs.
Executive Decision is supported by the Dave Evans-trained DORA PENNY whose last win came on the All-Weather, but she does have soft ground form and Dave is a master at getting his horses to bounce back from below-par runs. Rhys Clutterbuck rides.
We can make a strong start in the opening one-mile handicap (5.30) with the reliable YANTARNI and MAC'S DILEMMA. The former is more than capable of running well off his latest mark and posted a solid performance to be fourth at Yarmouth.
He's one of a few good chances for Ian Williams while course specialist Mac's Dilemma goes for his fifth win at the track for his trainer John O'Shea. John's a nice man and a very good trainer so I'm happy to have him on the team.
We go again in the six-furlong nursery (6.00) with CHINESE KNOT, who got up to win a similar race over five furlongs at Yarmouth and looks like she'll appreciate the extra furlong. She's up 5lb in a stronger race but Rod Millman has her in great form so I'm relying on a big performance from her and Saffie as she's our only representative.
I'm quietly confident of a big points return in the 10-furlong handicap (7.00) with GORDON GREY providing Saffie with another winning chance. Ian Williams insists there's more to come from his three-year-old who was a shade unlucky not to make a winning handicap debut at Newmarket.
But don't rule out MISS DOLLY ROCKER who won a Nottingham novice on soft ground last month and steps into a handicap for the first time off a workable mark of 73. Her trainer Roger Teal assures me she's thriving!
Ian had several options for the 10-furlong handicap at (7.30) but wanted to run DANCING IN PARIS, who arrives in good form after finishing third in a strong handicap at Goodwood last week. The ground will be ideal for him and Sean Bowen's 5lb claim puts him in with a great chance at the weights.
Saffie rides FANTASY BELIEVER for Ed Walker who brings winning form to the table after scoring over this trip at Newmarket. He's another with soft ground form so I'm hoping he can put some points on the board, too.
We also have two representatives in the five-furlong handicap (8.00) including Mike Bell's STONE CIRCLE, who seems to be in the form of his life at six. He's a course and distance winner who was one of our four success stories on the opening night.
Racing off just a 3lb higher mark, he should give Saffie another good ride while it's great to have local trainer Chris Mason on the team with JUST GLAMOROUS, who is ground versatile and beat Stone Circle at Salisbury two starts ago.
The £100,000 finale at 8.30 gives Rod Millman's ABLE KANE another bite at the cherry after finishing second in the seven-furlong race at Yarmouth in round one. He's just the type of consistent horse you need to help pick up points and Ian Williams feels the return to easy ground will see his classy SPIRIT OF LIGHT in much better form, too.
Once again, we have a great team spirit in the Wales & The West camp with some strong ammunition still to fire. I haven't played top jockey David Egan yet and round one winner Ross Coakley will be back in the team next week.
I've also got the heavyweights Adam Kirby and Tom Queally in my armoury and am looking forward to trying to get them on a winner soon as we work hard to maintain our title defence.
Watch every contest on week two of the Racing League from Chepstow live on Sky Sports Racing on Thursday August 10.
