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The Wales and West Team made a strong start to their defence of the Racing League title when recording four winners at Great Yarmouth.

It was the first of six events in the Racing League, encompassing 42 races from July to September.

The Wales and West Team, managed by trainer Jamie Osborne, accumulated 164 points across the seven-race card although the one-two recorded by The East team in the final race put them firmly in the running with 153 points.

Saffie Osborne, who recorded a treble on the final meeting of last year's competition to help Wales and West take the title, achieved another three-time aboard Chinese Knot (Rod Millman), Stone Circle (Michael Bell) and Alnilam (Milton Harris). Ross Coakley was responsible for the fourth winner of the night with Ed Walker's Dark Trooper.

"It was a satisfactory start! Tonight bodes well as I thought beforehand that it was a medium-strength team on paper," said Team Manager Jamie Osborne. 

"The East are right on our coattails after the result in the last race but this was, in effect, a home match for them. Us Welsh have our home match at Chepstow to come in a couple of weeks and we will be putting out a pretty strong squad.

"All in all, I am very satisfied with where we are after night one."

The crowd were able to enjoy a Frankie Dettori winner in the £100,000 final race, as he achieved an excellent win on the Charlie Fellowes-trained Cumulonimbus. It was a one-two for The East team, which is managed by Fellowes.

"It is nice to win the big race of the night. Perhaps I could have won on my other ride [Shahbaz, beaten a neck] as well but I am pleased with this. It is good for our team, Charlie Fellowes' team, and leaves us not too far off the lead," said Dettori.

"This is the third year of Racing League and I hope it takes off. To have two channels showing seven races on a Thursday night is brilliant, and so is the prize money."

The next Racing League fixture will be held on 10 August at Chepstow.