'Is he peaking too soon?' - Chapman fires back as Racing League moves to Windsor

Matt Chapman, team manager for London and the South, believes Wales and the West may be peaking too soon before Thursday's fourth meeting in the series at Windsor.

Chapman's London and the South (428 points) hold just a one-point lead over Jamie Osborne's Wales and the West (427) after all the latter team's runners at Newcastle last week collected points, and the colourful ITV Racing presenter fears he will be deposed at the top of the standings at Windsor.

"On paper, Jamie's team have by far the strongest line-up of the evening, but we've got some good chances to hang in there," Chapman said.

"If Jamie's not in front at the end of Windsor, he'll be a lot more disappointed than I will be. If I was Jamie looking at the races, I'd expect to be in front by the end.

"Then again, it's the fourth meeting, is he peaking too soon? He's been telling me throughout the competition that we're peaking too soon, maybe he is too."

Chapman's star rider Sean Levey was not in action at Newcastle last week but returns to the fold with four rides at the Thames track.

He partners Nuvolari in the mile handicap (6.00), Majestic in the other mile handicap (6.30), Sanitiser in the 1m2f handicap (7.00) and Andaleep in the concluding 1m3½f handicap (7.30) as he bids to be crowned the leading jockey of the Racing League.

Sean Levey and Matt Chapman are all smiles after System's win in the first round of the Racing League at DoncasterCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Chapman said: "It's just as important for me to make Sean Levey the top rider as it is to win the competition, if not more important because I promised him I'd make him the top rider.

"There's a big financial prize for that and it would mean a lot. I saw that as a clear objective for all members of my team – it just turned out that Sean had a very good first day. As a team, we have to get Sean that big bonus prize.

"For punters looking at anything in this competition that we fancy, Sean Levey is on the best hopes in four of the races."

Osborne admitted to being concerned by Chapman's squad at Windsor and believes London and the South are the only team Wales and the West have to beat.

"We've got a good squad, but sadly it looks like Matt has got a good squad as well," he said. "Looking at how the races are priced, he would be a shade odds-on to get more points than us.

"We've a chance of finishing the night on top, and unless someone comes from the rear with a real rattle, it looks like the competition is going to be between us two teams. A great squad of trainers have got behind the cause and we're going all out to win the competition."

Osborne was not buying into Chapman's praise of his team at Windsor, despite the trainer's outfit looking to have a golden opportunity in the 5f nursery (5.00) with market leaders Safari Dream and Lost Angel.

"It was probably faux modesty! He can't have meant it if he was being modest," he added.

"We need to get maximum points in the nursery, that's our strongest race by a mile. We'll be looking to finish first and second in that."

Racing League standings after week three

London and The South 428 points
Wales and The West 427
The East 332
Yorkshire 311
The North 258
Scotland 251
Ireland 164

Racing League leading jockey standings after week three

Sean Levey 163 points
David Allan 146
Saffie Osborne 130

Racing League round four: card and betting

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