Autumn may be drawing ever closer but there are still 4 race meetings left to enjoy at Pontefract Racecourse before the season finishes. With 2 meetings in September and 2 in October, there’s plenty of fantastic racing ahead.
The first September meeting on the 17th throws the sprinting fillies in to the spotlight as the EBF support a £15,000 Handicap over 6f. The 2014 race was won in devastating fashion by Ollie Pears’ ‘Augusta Ada’ who looked like a filly going places at the time. While things haven’t panned out for her so far this year, she may well be back to defend her crown as Ponte is a course that she has run well at on several occasions before. Gran Canaria Queen (who won impressively here earlier in the season) and Spirea are both fillies who have also run well at the West Yorkshire track and could well be competing for their place in the line up.
The Pontefract Stayer’s Championship is also reaching its climax with any numbers of horses still in the running to take home the top prize, worth nearly £5,000 to winning connections in 2015. Micky Hammond reports current leader, Tuscan Gold, in good form following his Summer break. He’s also on course to take in the final 3 legs of the Championship to try and cement his lead. He’ll need to come back at the top of his game as old course favourite, and former Championship winner, Riptide, is just a few points behind him. Should the going soften up, he’ll be in his element and the contest could go right to the wire!
Racinghospitality.com, part of the Racing Profits brand, sponsor the opening race on the card – a 5 furlong maiden for 2 year olds. James Tate’s speedy Free Entry took the prize last year after a string of consistent efforts. The race is often won by an experienced 2 year old and it takes a good newcomer to come home in front.
Two of the races on Thursday will showcase future events at the Course – bookings are now being taken for both the VIP Package at the final meeting of the year on 19th October and the fantastic Christmas parties happening in December.
The Racecourse has been running the Yorkshire Postcode Lottery throughout the season once again. The scheme gives racegoers from Yorkshire the chance to come racing in the Grandstand & Paddock Enclosure for just £2. The last 4 meetings of the season are all part of the promotion, and punters with postcodes from Hull, Halifax, Huddersfield and Bradford will all be eligible for cheap entry at forthcoming meetings with Hull postcodes the lucky ones on the 17th September. The action gets underway at 2.10pm with gates opening at midday.