Big crowd in attendance as Pontefract Racecourse takes chance to shine on TV
The sun was shining and the crowds were out in force for the final Family Day of the season at Pontefract Racecourse.
With £244,000 worth of prize money, it was the most valuable day’s racing ever to be held at Pontefract and the ITV cameras rolled into town for the finale of the valuable Sky Bet Sunday Series for 2024, writes Richard Hammill.
There was an exciting day in store for racegoers as the course set up their ‘In The Zone’ Raceday.
The Horse Zone kicked off the proceedings with Pontefract’s Racehorse Ambassador, Nearly Caught, parading in front of the packed Parade Ring.
The Industry Zone was next up with former Gold Cup winning jockey Andrew Thornton talking to racegoers about what goes on behind the scenes in the weighing room.
A punters panel pointed racegoers in the direction of a few winners, while another former Gold Cup winning jockey Robert Earnshaw was joined by racegoers for a walk of the last half mile of the track.
The most prestigious race of the year at Pontefract is the £75,000 EBF Sky Bet Flying Fillies’ Stakes. Last year’s winner was Believing, who has stepped up to compete in Group 1 races in 2024.
The betting for this year’s renewal was headed by Rod Millman’s admirable Adaay In Devon who had been touched off in a Group 3 at York earlier in the season.
She ran her usual brave race but could not keep tabs on Richard Fahey’s Marine Wave. The four-year-old daughter of Harry Angel had been behind Adaay In Devon at York, but turned the tables in no uncertain fashion.
Appreciating the quicker ground, Oisin Orr sent Marine Wave to the front in the home straight and she stayed on strongly to win by 2¾ lengths.
Marine Wave’s win brought up a double on the day for the Fahey/Orr team and for owner Sheikh Rashid Dalmook al Maktoum, after the impressive victory of Powerful Glory in the opening race for newcomers.
The two-year-old was heavily backed on the back of a big home reputation and made no mistake, winning handsomely by 5½ lengths.
Richard Fahey could not contain his admiration for the colt and described the winner as his "best two-year-old”.
He nominated the Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury as the next stop for the imposing victor.
One of the attractions of the Sky Bet Sunday Series is the bonuses available to owners, trainers and jockeys. One such bonus is a prize of £100,000 for the connections of any horse able to win at three of the six race days.
Two horses running at Pontefract had won two races at preceding fixtures and were, therefore, eligible.
Both Letsbefrank and American Affair are trained by Jim Goldie and were well fancied for their respective races, but it was the former who secured the bonus, winning the stayers race by a nail-biting short head from Charlie Johnston’s Tenerife Sunshine.
It is the first time since the inception of the series that a horse has managed to complete the feat.
American Affair was a gallant second in his race, but could not reel in the all the way winner, Dream Composer, who scored for trainer James Evans.
The speedy winner had won the Epsom Dash earlier in the season under the same apprentice jockey, Joe Leavy, who is making a real name for himself.
In contrast to Dream Composer, the winner of the finale on the card, May Blossom, was last as the runners turned into the straight. However, the top weight passed all her rivals for owners Ursa Major Racing to win, going away, by 1½ lengths.
Prior to his course and distance win at Ladies Day at the beginning of August, it had taken Zozimus four years to register a win for The Horse Watchers and David O’Meara. However, the six-year-old has certainly regained the winning thread in no uncertain fashion and he scored back to back wins in the 1m handicap.
David Nolan weaved his way through and the top weight, carrying 10st6, answered every call to win well by two lengths.
With his confidence growing all the time, he may be able to continue his progression as he remains well handicapped on the best of his previous form.
The 1m2f handicap saw Ponte favourite Highwaygrey try to register his sixth victory at the track. However, Tim Easterby’s charge could not reel in the impressive See That Storm for Ed Bethell and Callum Rodriguez.
The winner was making just his fifth appearance on a racecourse and winning his third race. Bethell was full of praise for the son of Storm the Stars and expects him to continue to improve and progress through the ranks.
There are just four meetings left to look forward to this year. The next is the Art of Racing Raceday on September 19. If you would like to be considered as a guest tipster, or judge of the best turned out horse award, email [email protected] . For more details about upcoming events visit www.pontefract-races.co.uk