Championship Horse Racing has confirmed that the inaugural season of the Racing League will begin in July 2021.
Held over six consecutive Thursday evenings, the new flat racing competition will be contested at four of the UK’s leading racecourses – Doncaster, Lingfield Park, Newcastle and Royal Windsor.
Racing League 2021 race days
- Race Day 1: Newcastle – 29 July
- Race Day 2: Doncaster – 5 August
- Race Day 3: Lingfield Park – 12 August
- Race Day 4: Royal Windsor – 19 August
- Race Day 5: Lingfield Park – 26 August
- Race Day 6: Newcastle – 2 September
Race Distances
Each meeting will have six races over the following distances:
- 5 furlongs
- 6 furlongs
- 7 furlongs
- 8 furlongs – 1-mile race
- 10 furlongs – 1 and ¼ mile race
- 12 furlongs – 1 and ½ mile race
The format will see 12 teams battle it out for £1.8m in prize money, as well as an overall prize to the team that finishes with the most points.
Racing in bespoke team colours, the teams will compete across 36 handicap races each worth £50,000 and all 36 races will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.
2021 sports events calendar: month-by-month guide
How it works
- When: starting in July 2021
- Where: Doncaster, Lingfield, Newcastle, Royal Windsor
- Six Thursday night meetings – 12 teams, 36 races, 3,600 points on offer
- Teams will consist of two to four trainers, three jockeys, stable staff and a squad of 30 horses
- The 12 teams will each select one of their 30 horses to contest each of the 36 races
- All team members, including jockeys, will be dressed in team colours
- Winners of each race will win 25 points for their team; second place 18 points; third place 15 points, with points available for finishing in the top ten places out of 12
- £50,000 prize money for each race distributed as per BHA rules
- The team with the most points at the end of the season will be crowned the Racing League champions
- Winning team will earn a bonus prize shared between owners, trainers, jockeys, stable staff and a fan ambassador, picked from the public at random at the start of the competition
- Website: racingleague.uk
Reactions to the new Racing League
Andrew Balding, 2003 Epsom Oaks-winning trainer
“I look forward to being involved in the inaugural Racing League and welcome the innovation it brings to our sport.”
Martin Dwyer, 2006 Epsom Derby-winning jockey
“The Racing League is a really exciting addition to the British horse racing calendar, and I believe the fans will welcome it. It’s a positive step for the racing industry to take, and the increase in prize money at handicap-level racing will be good for the sport.”
Matthew Imi, CEO, Sky Sports Racing
“In recent years Sky Sports has been instrumental in helping mainstream sports grow their fan bases exponentially, appealing to a broad audience of sports enthusiasts and innovating in the process. We are confident that we can achieve something similar with horse racing, so partnering with an exciting new initiative like the Racing League makes absolute sense.”