By Gareth James

The 2024 edition of the Racing League arrives in Chepstow on Thursday with a high-quality seven-race card on offer for punters heading to the track.

The Racing League sees seven teams representing different parts of the country taking each other on across 42 races at six meetings with over £2m in prize money on offer, with Chepstow’s card marking the third fixture of the season and the midway point of the competition – with all kids aged under 17 able to get in for free when accompanied with a paying adult to Chepstow on Thursday.

The East team, managed by racing personality and former Love Island star Chris Hughes, currently lead the standings with 365 points ahead of Wales and the West on 263.5 points, managed by trainer Jamie Osborne.

Read below to discover the latest tips for Chepstow’s meeting on Thursday courtesy of BoyleSports, who offer the latest horse racing odds throughout the season.

Going update for tonight's @RacingLeagueUK fixture:
GOOD to FIRM (good in places)
Forecast – dry cloudy start – light rain/drizzle around midday
Seven races from 5.30pm, tickets available online today and on the gate, kids free – https://t.co/ZKCKn3T4ED pic.twitter.com/LCe1dl6W1u

— Chepstow Racecourse (@Chepstow_Racing) August 8, 2024

Chepstow’s card on Thursday gets underway at 5.30pm and rounds off at 8.30pm for week three of the competition.

Race one (5.30) can go the way of Dutch Decoy for trainer Charlie Johnston, who has to be respected back in these calmer waters having filled the runner-up spot with a belting run in the Golden Mile at Glorious Goodwood last week. Of his rivals in the opening mile handicap in class four, Austrian Theory can give the favourite most to think about after an encouraging fifth at Thirsk just last week.

The second race of the evening (6.00) sees a field of 11 tackle the seven furlong handicap in class four with preference heading to Etoile D’Alexandre, a winner at Thirsk last month who then found a small-field affair not to her liking at Lingfield following up but can get back to winning ways here ahead of the Richard Hughes-trained Burnel Nation, third of 13 at Newmarket last month on his last spin.

A field of ten will head to the stalls for race three on the Chepstow card (6.30) and plenty are in with a chance here. Gisburn has the eye-catching jockey booking of Oisin Murphy in his favour from a career-low mark so enters calculations, while Eminency is also one to note for trainer Stuart Williams, dropping markedly down in class having flopped at Ascot last time out in the International Stakes.

See you there for Raceday 3 of the @RacingLeagueUK at @Chepstow_Racing Going
Good to Firm,Good in places#TEAMNORTH@SkySportsRacing @itvracing @tote@TWC_HRSE pic.twitter.com/uV9VQ8ej0M

— Mick Quinn (@mickquinn1089) August 8, 2024

A five furlong handicap marks the midway point of the Thursday card (7.00) and 12 runners will tackle the sprint distance with preference for Miss Attitude, trained by Jack Channon, a winner at Haydock in June and a very good second in a Goodwood handicap last week to go with a 2lb drop in the weights here so the four-year-old sets the standard.

Walter Hartwright looks the one to beat inn race five (7.30) who has thrived since having the blinkers fitted and completed a four-timer at Yarmouth’s Racing League meeting for trainer Ed Dunlop, while the penultimate race of the evening (8.00) can go the way of Have Secret, second at the Racing League in Yarmouth to the re-opposing Rathgar here but the former is now 3lb better off in the weights.

Finally, week three of the Racing League comes to a close with the seven furlong handicap in class two (8.30) and Arkadian Thunder is taken to follow up his Doncaster win three weeks ago by scoring again here for trainer David O’Meara.

https://twitter.com/TWC_HRSE/status/1821449382564086050

Chepstow selections – Thursday

5.30 – Dutch Decoy

6.00 – Etoile D’Alexandre

6.30 – Gisburn

7.00 – Miss Attitude

7.30 – Walter Hartwright

8.00 – Have Secret

8.30 – Arkadian Thunder