'We need to get through to the trainers that we've sold them into a brand'

On a chilly September evening at Newcastle in front of a modest crowd, the first edition of the £2 million Racing League came to a close after six weeks of hype, intrigue, scepticism and derision.

As Team talkSPORT and its principal rider Jack Mitchell clutched their trophies and lifted them skywards, having surged through to claim the titles of top team and top jockey, questions about the Racing League's impact, success and future hung heavily in the night air.

Had the "innovative" Formula One-style team competition, which set out to "positively disrupt" horseracing, achieved its goals? Or after claims of exclusivity, unfilled fields and jockey no-shows, had it instead been nothing more than a sideshow?