Copper Knight is fitting Pontefract winner on evening when legend Peter Easterby is remembered

The course hosted a special meeting to encourage those who had never been to Pontefract before to experience a race meeting, with particular focus on accessibility features, writes Alexia Chesters.

There were two BSL interpreters signing the race commentary and assisting racegoers from the deaf community, the ever present at Ponte ‘Autism In Racing’ team and a guided ‘trip down Memory Lane’ tour for all racegoers before racing.

Before racing there was a minute’s silence for the legendary Peter Easterby. A wonderful man, a proud father and grandfather, great trainer and a stalwart of Yorkshire racing who sadly passed away aged 95.

The opening race was the Pontefract Races Chairman’s Challenge Apprentice Handicap.

The Chairman’s Challenge is a new initiative rewarding owners of any horse to record three wins at Pontefract this season with a £3,000 bounty, plus an additional £1,000 for any further win. There are incentives for trainers and stable staff too as well as a £1,000 prize for the horse who makes the most appearances at Pontefract this year.

The race itself has been farmed by Paul Midgley in recent times, winning the previous six renewals. The run came to an end, but there was a very fitting winner with 11-year-old Copper Knight recording his 16th victory for Tim Easterby, his first runner after the passing of his father, giving jockey Jake Dickenson a first career success.

Outsider No Spritz No Party improved a great deal for her debut experience to land the 6f Racing TV Maiden Fillies Stakes for Charlie Clover and Connor Planas.

Knightswood took the feature race, the 1m4f Racing For Everyone Handicap under Jason Hart for trainer Charlie Johnston.

Queen Of Steel backed up her impressive Nottingham success with another win in the Tony Bethell Memorial Handicap. Fergal O’Brien’s mare made every post a winning one over the 2m1f trip under Gina Mangan.

The Bill Carrigill Memorial Handicap commemorates the life of a former Pontefract annual badge holder and there were two divisions of the 1m2f contest.

The first was won in impressive fashion by Distinction and PJ McDonald, for trainer John Mackie.

In the second division the Pat Morris-trained Golspie came clear to score decisively under Harry Burns

Two divisions of a 6f handicap celebrating Pontefract legend Mr Wolf closed the card and provided doubles for Paul Midgley and David Nolan.

Speeding Bullet sprung a surprise in the first heat before Fierce scorched clear in the finale. He looks one to keep on the right side of in the coming weeks.

The next race meeting at the Pontefract track is the first Family Day of the season on Sunday, June 22.

It is always a popular event and with great racing, a funfair, whippet racing and much more in store, it promises to be a day to remember. Full details are available at the racecourse website (www.pontefract-races.co.uk).