New-look Racing League banking on regional rivalry and razzmatazz to do the job

The Racing League returns to our tracks for another summer of team-based action, starting with Thursday evening's seven-race card at Doncaster. Over the next month and a half, the competition will seek to provide a bit of razzmatazz that might extend the appeal of the action a bit further than the average 0-90 handicap.

ITV4 will be doing its bit by broadcasting the whole card, from the first at 5.40pm to the lucky last three hours later. Team captains including Matt Chapman and Leonna Mayor will be hamming it up for the cameras.

After a tricky first year, when the league was criticised for being exclusive, changes include opening the competition to a much broader base of trainers, now numbering more than 125. Total prize-money will exceed £2m and the number of teams has been slimmed down to seven, tied to geographical areas rather than having brand identities.