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Racing and fashion combine in the annual Pontefract Ladies Day on Wednesday 8th August and there’s never been a better excuse to buy a new outfit! Courtesy of RIU Hotels and Resorts, Pontefract Racecourse is offering an all inclusive, week long holiday for 2 to the Dominican Republic. The prize includes return flights from Manchester. RIU Hotels and Resorts are also providing a fabulous runners’ up prize of a 3 night break for 2 to their Gresham hotel in Dublin! With such fantastic prizes on offer, the competition is bound to be fiercely contested! And for the first time in 2018, the Racecourse will also have a Best Dressed Gentleman competition with a prize fund of £350 to the winner!

If you’d like to be considered for either competition, then the Heart Angels will be on the lookout for the Best Dressed Racegoers from the minute that the gates open at 12noon and they will allocate numbered cards to lucky finalists. The judging gets under way for the Best Dressed Gentleman in the Parade Ring at 1pm and then the prestigious Best Dressed Lady Competition starts at 1.15pm. This year, the judging panel will consist of the Heart Breakfast Show team of Dixie and Emma, along with the National Business Manager for RIU, Maria Battersby.

The Racecourse is urging anyone wishing to be considered for either of the Best Dressed Racegoer competitions to make sure that they arrive early on the day so that they do not miss out. There’s an added incentive to arrive early as the first 500 ladies through the Premier Enclosure entrance will also get a free glass of bubbly and a buttonhole as part of the track’s #Magic500 promotion.

There’s some fantastic action on the track too. The feature race is the £20,000 tiesplanet.com – Ladies Love Guys In Ties Handicap. Aside from being one of the best named races on the racing calendar, it’s also a high class handicap for horses aged 3 year olds and older. There’s an impressive role of honour as this years’ Stayers Hurdle winner at the Cheltenham Festival, Penhill, took part in this race in 2015!

Local bookmakers Jayne and Steve Robinson sponsor 2 races on the card on Ladies Day – a two year old Novice race and a handicap for 3 year olds and up. They’ll be on the track on the day offering up the best prices for their races! There’s a £10,000 bonus on offer to the winner of the 2 year old race, taking the prize money on offer to £20,000!

Sponsors of the Best Dressed Lady competition, RIU hotels and resorts, also sponsor the veterans handicap on the day while the Racecourse contract cleaners, Solutions 4 Cleaning, sponsor the opening race on the card for amateur Gentleman Riders.

With the Park Suite Restaurant, Marquee and Hospitality Boxes already fully booked on Ladies Day, racegoers are encouraged to book their admission tickets and badges early to avoid disappointment. With a small number of ‘Premier Packages’ still available, there’s still the chance to upgrade your Ladies Day out! To book, or to view full details of the day, please visit the course website (www.pontefract-races.co.uk ) or give the office a call on 01977 781307. Racing gets underway at 2.20pm and the gates open at 12noon.

CONTACT – RICHARD HAMMILL 01977 781307