Champion jockey William Buick rides big winner at Pontefract Racecourse's season finale

A huge Monday crowd of around 4,000 people came to celebrate the end of the season at the West Yorkshire track and were treated to some excellent racing and nailbiting finishes.

Feature race was the 30th running of the Listed EBF Silver Tankard Stakes.

As usual, there was a decent field assembled with a strong contingent from Newmarket. Trainers Charlie Appleby and Ralph Beckett have excellent records in the race and their two runners dominated the finish with the Godolophin team’s Local Dynasty forging ahead for newly crowned champion jockey William Buick.

Winning for the third time this season, the only time the son of Dubawi has been beaten was at the hands of Chaldean, Juddmonte’s Dewhurst hero, in the Acomb Stakes at York.

Alex Merriam, assistant to Charlie Appleby, reported that the horse is unlikely to run again this year but will be aimed at some of the classic trial races in the spring.

Beckett’s runner-up, Luckin Brew, may have her campaign geared towards the Oaks next season – he sent Westover to finish runner-up in this race last year who went on to win the 2022 Irish Derby.

The supporting race on the card was the Phil Bull Trophy Conditions Stakes and the betting market suggested that Buick could easily double up on board Hughie Morrison’s Vino Victrix who had finished runner-up in the Cesarewitch at Newmarket nine days earlier.

He may, however, have still been feeling the effects of his heroics and could only finish fourth on this occasion.

Victory went the way of Adam Nicol’s remarkably tough and consistent Wise Eagle who was winning for the fourth time in 2022.

Danny Tudhope was always travelling well and the gelding stayed on nicely to win a shade cosily.

The win secured the 2022 champion jockey accolade for Tudhope.

In behind the winner, Indefatigable shaped really well on her prep run for the National Hunt season while we also said a fond farewell to Andrew Balding’s fantastic, Morando, who was retired after finishing an honourable third.

Race is hotting up to be top trainer at Pontefract in 2022

Racegoers had to wait until the very last race on the card to find out who would be crowned the 2022 leading trainer at the West Yorkshire venue.

With five trainers tying on six wins, the race to be champion went down to the wire before Rayong took the concluding handicap for trainer Karl Burke.

The five-year-old enjoys the test offered by the Pontefract hill and stayed on well to follow up his win at the opening meeting of the year.

Richard Jackson was on course celebrating his 87th birthday and his family sponsored a race in his honour.

The 6f handicap attracted 31 runners and so had to be divided into two races.

It was a lucky race for trainer Ruth Carr who collected both divisions!

Rhythm took Division 1 under Jo Mason while Magical Effect followed up 35 minutes later for Jason Hart.

The opening two races on the card were restricted to two-year-olds with 11 inexperienced youngsters lining up in the opening race.

Harry’s Halo caused a bit of a shock winning the first race at 28-1 for jockey Rossa Ryan and trainer Kevin Frost. He had been well beaten in his first two starts, but had clearly benefited from being gelded, showing a battling spirit to see off Karl Burke’s eye catching newcomer, Taj Neom.

The two-year-olds were a little more experienced in the second race and had all had a minimum of three runs. With any number of runners in with a chance entering the final furlong, it was Ed Dunlop’s Orchestra who showed the most tenacity under a great ride from Neil Callan who was making a rare visit to the West Yorkshire track.

The track offered complimentary admission to Racing TV members who applied for a ticket in advance and 800 members were on course to cheer home the winner of the Racing TV Club Day handicap over 1m2f.

The race saw the most impressive winner on the day when Poker Face continued his unbeaten career, winning his third start for Simon and Ed Crisford.

James Doyle’s only ride of the day was an extremely well supported favourite and his backers did not have a single anxious moment as the gelding strolled home by 8½ lengths.

After the race, the jockey was very complimentary about the son of Fastnet Rock and suggested that he would certainly hold his own in a higher company.

The day closed with a team of 41 national hunt horses stretching their legs on the Pontefract turf ahead of the jumping season. Northern stars, including Sam’s Adventure and Bushypark, were there as racegoers were treated to an early sight of some of the horses hoping to make their make at the winter game.

The 2023 season starts up on Tuesday, April 11. Keep up to date with all the latest news and information from the Racecourse on their social media channels and on their website at www.pontefract-races.co.uk