Jamie Osborne ready to play his jokers as Wales & The West bid to retain Racing League title in Southwell finale

Nearly seven weeks after this year’s Racing League kicked off at Yarmouth in July, Southwell stages what promises to be a thrilling finale with just two points separating the Wales & The West and Ireland teams.

The appearance of Frankie Dettori – who takes two rides for the East in Sea Stone (7.45) for Ismail Mohammed and Angle Land (8.15) for Robert Cowell – is sure to add plenty of interest to what is looking like a close finish between the teams. 

The winners 12 months ago, Jamie Osborne’s Wales & The West have led since flagfall on the east coast where they landed a four-timer, but they were reeled in by Ireland at Wolverhampton last week. After a second in the last at Dunstall Park, however, Wales & The West regained the lead on 666 points with Ireland on 664. 

A close finish is on the cards with both teams having strong candidates, but Wales & The West are the ones with any jokers left to play.

Osborne said: “I was relieved that we retained our lead last week given we put out our weakest squad of the competition. I can see Ireland regaining the lead through the first part of the card but, with two jokers up our sleeve, I see us getting stronger as the night goes on.

“I think we look very strong in the two-mile race [7.45] with Blazeon Five and Zain Nights, who are both last-time-out winners. I think we have good options in the six-furlong, mile and 12-furlong races and that is where my jokers will be played.”

The Irish team is captained by Kevin Blake, who have made a good first of it considering they were 84 points behind their main rivals at one point.

He said: “We are up against it because for all Jamie is only narrowly ahead he does have both jokers left to play. We are going to have to absolutely knock it out the park, while we will need Jamie to fluff his lines. But as we saw last year, you can have some late drama in this competition."

He added: “I think we have good strength in depth the whole way through. We have five Irish-trained horses coming over, three for Ado McGuinness and two for Johnny Levins. Four of those horses have run during the competition already and have acquitted themselves well with two winning."

Just like last year, an Osborne double looks on the cards as Jamie’s daughter Saffie, Wales & The West’s rider, is on course to retain her leading rider title as she has 282 points already in the bag with her closest challenger Dylan Browne McMonagle (221 points) riding at Punchestown.

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