Grant Tuer gives thumbs up to new-look Racing League as entries revealed

Grant Tuer, one of the most vocal critics of the Racing League last year, has given this year's new-look format his seal of approval as an improved number of entries were received for next week's opening fixture at Doncaster on Thursday.

Tuer was speaking to the Racing Post for a major article in Sunday's newspaper in which the changes made for the second edition of the team competition are examined by the likes of Tuer, Jamie Osborne, founder Jeremy Wray and Ascot Gold Cup-winning owner Dr Jim Walker, while ITV also provides insight into its coverage of the series.

Yorkshire trainer Tuer hit out last year at many yards being excluded from the competition, while there was also criticism of the teams being named after sponsors and many jockeys who had signed up not riding in the competition at all.

This time prize-money has been increased to more than £2 million across 42 races at six meetings, while seven regional teams have been introduced: Ireland, Scotland, Wales and the West, the East, London and the South, the North, and Yorkshire. Crucially, all Racing League fixtures will also be broadcast on terrestrial television this year after ITV Racing signed up to cover them.

Grant Tuer on the Racing League: 'Last year it was very exclusive'Credit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Tuer will be part of the Yorkshire team and said: "Last year it was very exclusive – and I'm sure it only came across that way because it was the first year and they were tentative about pushing it too much. This year it's much more widespread, more honest and more inclusive and everybody has had sufficient chance to be involved if they wished to be involved."

And the trainer believes the regional nature of the teams will make a big difference after none of the winning trainers last year even showed up for the final night of the competition.

"The biggest difference between last year and this year is that we have regional teams so there's something for everyone to get behind.

"I was chatting to Tim [Easterby] in the paddock about this at Beverley recently and I certainly think there's going to be camaraderie between the team members, whereas last year there were commercial teams that nobody had any affinity to and nobody felt as though they belonged in that particular team."

There were certainly promising signs for the new-look format on Friday when the first fixture attracted 265 entries. The average across the seven races is 37.86, up from 31.67 across six races last year. Final fields are limited to 14 horses to ensure each team is represented by two runners.

Read more from Grant Tuer, Jamie Osborne and others in The Big Read, available in Sunday's newspaper or online for Members' Club Ultimate subscribers from 6pm on Saturday. Click here to sign up.

Racing League fixtures

August 4 Doncaster
August 11 Lingfield
August 25 Newcastle
September 1 Windsor
September 8 Southwell
September 15 Newcastle

Doncaster card and entries

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