Wales & The West Lead Racing League as Osborne’s Hat-Trick Takes the Spotlight
The Racing League action saw Wales & The West maintain their lead after a captivating evening of racing, with Matt Chapman's London & The South briefly topping the standings before falling behind. The penultimate round at Newcastle next week promises to be a thrilling conclusion to the season.
The night at the racecourse was marked by a stellar performance from the Ian Williams-trained Night Breeze, who won the opening race at 13-2, and Brian Meehan's Toca Madera, who followed up with an 8-1 victory. Williams and jockey Kieran O’Neill also secured a treble with Parlando in the concluding race, while the Osborne-trained Sean finished an unlucky third after a troubled passage.
Osborne, reflecting on the night, praised Ian Williams’ performance and noted the strong showing from his own horses. “It was a great run from Sean, and it’s great for Wales and the team. It would have been better if Sean had won, but both horses ran fantastic races,” he said.
The East’s Nazron impressed in the opener, cruising to victory under Daniel Muscutt. Despite being knocked off the top spot and now sitting in third, Chris Hughes remained optimistic. “It’s been tough today, but that’s racing. We’ll regroup and look to bounce back,” he said.
London & The South’s Great Acclaim, carrying a 7lb penalty, led the one-two for the team, edging out Post Rider by half a length. The victory helped London & The South recover from a challenging start to the week.
The North finally secured its first win of the season, with Richard Fahey-trained Life On The Rocks delivering a 28-1 surprise. Ex-footballer and trainer Mick Quinn was thrilled with the result after a challenging start to the competition. “It’s fantastic to get on the board,” Quinn said. “The horse was travelling well and the win was well-deserved.”
Ireland’s Bennetot, under a power-packed ride from Billy Loughnane, overcame Charlie Johnston’s Love De Vega to claim victory. Ireland’s manager Kevin Blake was delighted with the result and praised Loughnane, who now leads the jockeys' standings with 217 points.
“The road is long in horse racing, and it’s great to see the wheel turn for us. Billy has been fantastic, and this win puts him in a great spot,” Blake said.
With Wales & The West leading the standings with 571.5 points and London & The South close behind on 567, The East remains in third with 529 points. The final night at Newcastle promises to be a decisive and thrilling conclusion to the Racing League season.
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