3 minute read
‘It’s been important for a bit, but it’s become really serious now’.
With just one fixture remaining in the William Hill Racing League Team ThorougBid are desperate to cling on to their lead and claim the inaugural title.
The show moves back up to Newcastle on Thursday evening, with the team which consists of trainers Andrew Balding and Richard Hannon, with Hayley Turner and Sean Levey majorly employed in the saddle, managed by broadcaster Cornelius Lysaght.
They hold a four-point advantage over Goat Racing, with Team talkSPORT 37 points behind Goat Racing back in third.
But with 25 points for a win it is still all to play for.
"I think we believe we've enough in the tank for the final week, but we don't want to say too much at this stage!" said Lysaght.
"We've got a good squad of horses made up from two of the most powerful yards in the country who are both enjoying great spells and they are both taking it very seriously. Hopefully we've got plenty of depth.
"It's suddenly become really important. It's been important for a bit, but it's become really serious now. We probably thought we'd got to the front plenty early enough, we've been there to be shot at and we were briefly headed on Thursday – but as well as winning races, the way the points system has been sorted out rewards consistency.
"When we'd been doing some social media beforehand we felt Team Goat were a big threat and so it has proved, they've got a strong team but it's great there are a few teams in with a chance going up to Newcastle.
"It's exciting, I know people might be sceptical but for the stable staff, the owners, the two jockeys, we've used Hayley and Sean, and those at Lingfield who were sporting our colours – they probably thought we were Godolphin with the blue – but people are really getting into it."
With regards to how the League has grown in popularity over the last six weeks Lysaght said: "It's a real credit to Andrew and Richard, to Charlie Fellowes and Hugo Palmer, to George Boughey and David Simcock and Jamie Osborne, they've got really involved and have been a credit to the Racing League and while it might not have gone as well as Joseph O'Brien would have liked, the word is he's determined to sort that next year.
"For the two jockeys at the top, Hayley for us and Louis Steward for Goat – obviously we all love Frankie (Dettori) and Oisin (Murphy) and the other boys and girls but those two have been really invested in it right from the start. I was watching Louis the other night giving his autograph and having his photo taken. This has been huge for him. There's a big prize at the end for the winner, too.
"We're really hoping that both Richard and Andrew can make it up to Newcastle on Thursday, it would be great if they can both be there and we can get it over the line – and for Hayley, too."
