Frankie Dettori rode several winners in last season's Racing League and this year returns as a 'jockey-manager' for The East; defending champions Wales & The West stick with Saffie Osborne, David Egan and Adam Kirby among their seven riders
Friday 31 March 2023 10:19, UK
Scotland has selected former champion Oisin Murphy in this year’s Racing League jockeys draft, with Saffie Osborne back on team Wales & The West as they aim to defend their title.
Trainer Jamie Osborne returns once more to manage the 2022 winners and sticks with three of last year's seven riders, including daughter Saffie, who clinched the top jockey prize with a dramatic final-day treble at Newcastle.
Osborne also keeps faith with David Egan and Adam Kirby, while Rhys Clutterbuck, Ross Coakley, Tom Queally and Trevor Whelan are all new names on the squad.
Frankie Dettori rode in the red of Wales & The West last year but switches his allegiances to The East, with the legendary rider becoming the competition's first jockey-manager in what is his final season in the saddle.
Dettori has picked 2021 Racing League champion jockey Jack Mitchell to join his side, along with Callum Shepherd, Kaiya Fraser, Laura Pearson, Luke Morris and Ray Dawson.
Scotland will once again be managed by trainer Linda Perratt and she has selected Rowan Scott and Andrew Mullen to join Murphy. Hayley Turner, David Probert, Pat Cosgrave and Paul Mulrennan complete the Scottish line-up.
Matt Chapman's London & The South were long-time leaders of the competition last year before finishing runners-up. Sean Levey, Marco Ghiani and Nicola Currie are all selected again by Chapman, joined by Charlie Bishop, Jason Watson, Kieran Shoemark and Rossa Ryan.
Ireland are boosted by the additions of leading British all-weather rider Danny Muscutt and apprentice star Billy Loughnane. Manager Kevin Blake once again turns to Dylan Browne McMonagle and Gavin Ryan, while Adam Farragher, Ben Curtis and Joanna Mason will also sport the green silks.
The North, led by former trainer and footballer Mick Quinn, is made up of Cam Hardie, Connor Beasley, Frederick Larson, Harrison Shaw, Oisin Orr, Paula Muir and Pierre-Louis Jamin.
Yorkshire manager Leonna Mayor has drafted in the services of Ali Rawlinson, Clifford Lee, David Allan, Jonny Peate, Josephine Gordon, PJ McDonald and Tom Eaves for her 2023 line-up.
Each team has the option of using a Wild Card pick throughout the competition enabling them to add an eighth jockey to their squad.
