Eight racecourses committed to hosting a new horse racing series in which teams will compete in leagues, according to Frank Keogh of the BBC. Known as "The Series," the plan is for it to take place on consecutive Thursday evenings in the summer of '19, "with millions of pounds in prize money." Ayr, Epsom, Goodwood, Haydock, Leopardstown, Newbury, Newmarket and Sandown are each set to stage meetings with six Flat races. Each of the 48 races, from July 25-Sept. 12, is worth at least £100,000 ($128,000). The meetings "are additional to the British fixture list" and require the approval of the British Horseracing Authority (BBC, 12/6).
TURBO BOOST: RACING POST's Peter Scargill reported the driving force behind the project has been CEO Jeremy Wray, the former chair of League Two side Swindon Town and brother of Betfair co-Founder Ed Wray, who hopes the races will "turbo-boost audience, prize-money and participation growth rates." Wray said, "Agreeing the likely racecourse schedule is a key milestone [for us]. Over the next few months we will be announcing the teams and the media partners who will broadcast The Series across the world" (RACING POST, 12/6).
