Mayor looking forward to leading Team Yorkshire in Racing League

Former jockey turned TV presenter Mayor has been picked to head up the county’s seven-strong team which will compete of Thursday evenings for six weeks to try and win £50,000.

Yorkshire has 13 runners primed for week one, including Quest For Fun (Julie Camacho) in race four and Jean Baptiste (Roger Fell) in race seven, with both of Oisin McSweeney’s mounts chasing a three-timer.

Mayor said: “I am glad declarations are over as it was a little stressful organising everything!

“I am excited as I think we have decent chances in every race. Quest For Fun should have a massive chance in the six-furlong handicap, with Oisin McSweeney taking five pounds off, and I have had Emaraaty Hero pencilled in for the 12-furlong handicap for a good while.

“Like Quest For Fun, Jean Baptiste has won his last two and I am claiming off him for the same reason. They would be our three main hopes and I will be distraught if we don’t have a winner. I think we are the hardest-working team and hard work pays!”

Mayor’s team features jockeys Cam Hardie, David Allan, Paul Mulrennan, Oisin McSweeney, Joanna Mason, Dougie Costello and William Carver and she also has 15 top trainers at her disposal.

As well as Doncaster, Lingfield (August 11), Newcastle (August 25 and September 15), Windsor (September 1) and Southwell (September 8) are staging meetings.

Tickets start at £15 for grandstand entry at Doncaster and racegoers can also buy a ‘Double the Fun’ ticket online for £20, which also include admission for Southwell’s fixture.

Meanwhile, Jessica Long’s Good Eye will fly the flag for Sweden at York’s Ebor meeting after a successful Goodwood venture.

The seven-year-old was a 150-1 chance for the Stewards’ Cup under Ray Dawson, a price that perhaps reflected his unfamiliar overseas form rather than his ability.

Placed twice in Germany before winning at Listed level at Baden-Baden in May, the bay was then ninth behind Charlie Hills’ Garrus in the Group Three Prix de Ris-Orangis at Deauville last month.

At Goodwood the gelding broke neatly from the stalls when drawn in the 26th of 28 berths and was ridden on the inside rail as the field split into two groups.

Last year’s winner, Michael Dods’ Commanche Falls, retained his title - but only two lengths behind him in fourth was Long’s rank outsider.

“He was just fantastic, it was such a good experience for everyone. The horse ran an absolute blinder,” she said.

“It was beautiful, a fantastic atmosphere and we were so well looked after by the whole Goodwood team. The way I would say it is that it’s racing as racing should be.

Long reports the horse, who is enjoying a spell at Amanda Perrett’s Sussex yard, to have taken the race well as a trip to the Knavesmire at York beckons for the Sky Bet Constantine Handicap Stakes.

She said: “He came out of the race very well, he’s eaten up and is looking well - he’s very happy with himself!

“If everything goes to plan we will head up to York for what I believe is a fairly new race up there, a six-furlong heritage handicap run straight after the Ebor.

“I hear it is a lovely track and it is a flat racecourse as well, which I think will play even more to our strengths.

“I’m looking forward to it, we will keep him in one piece and just keep doing what we’re doing.”