Double delight for jockey Cieren Fallon at Pontefract Racecourse's latest race meeting

It was a good day for the William Haggas/ Cieren Fallon combo as they secured a double with Apache Green and With Style, writes Richard Hammill.

Apache Style had clearly benefited from his debut, as well as the faster ground conditions, and was an impressive winner of the 6f Northern Commercials Novice.

Wearing the familiar double green colours or Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, the two-year-old quickened up nicely to get the better of Ed Bethell’s Counting Cards and Charles Hills’ Fort Augustus – both of who had displayed considerable promise in their short careers to date.

With Style needed the assistance of the stewards for her victory as she was second to pass the post, just a nose behind Roger Varian’s Times Edition. It was deemed that Haggas’ charge had received a serious bump which had prevented her from winning.

Formerly trained by Jessica Harrington in Ireland, the winner showed a decent attitude in a race that could throw up a few future winners.

The most expensive horse to run at Pontefract on the day was King’s Reign as he had been bought by the Godolphin team for a cool 1,500,000 guineas in 2022!

He had been slightly disappointing, but the son of Dubawi showed a willing attitude to get off the mark at the fourth attempt in the Ben & Mary Hibbert Handicap. Charlie Appleby’s charge was sent straight to the front by Dougie Costello and kept finding more each time he was challenged. Now that he’s found the winning thread, he could start to fulfil his potential, especially as his stamina is brought in to play.

It was also a day of ‘firsts’ at Ponte with both Aidan Keeley and Alice Bond riding their first ever winners at the track.

Aidan’s win came on board Fiscal Policy for Ruth Carr in the opening apprentice handicap. The five-year-old appreciated the return to a sound surface and ran out a ready winner on just his fourth start for the yard.

Alice Bond has struck up a great partnership with Mc’Ted and they combined to win for the fourth time this season in the 1m2f handicap for trainer Joseph Parr.

Sir Mark Prescott has had a profitable time in the Pontefract Stayers Championship of 2024. He was recording his third win in the series when Judgementofsolomon took the long distance handicap.

Trooper Bisdee and Godsend had taken earlier rounds in the series and it remains to be seen whether any of the three will reappear in one of the final two legs in the series in a bid to stake their claim as the overall champion for 2024.

Luke Morris’ mount never really looked in much danger and he was simply pushed out to score by threequarters of a length from Weddell Sea.

The final race on the card went to the top weight, Theme Park, for Faye McManoman. The four-year-old was given a great ride and weaved his way through and hit the front in the final furlong.

He won, going away by two lengths in a decent time. The consistent gelding has had a great season for trainer Nigel Tinkler and was adding to his victory at York earlier in the year.

The next meeting at Pontefract takes place on Thursday, September 26. Full details can be found at www.pontefract-races.co.uk.