Emerging teenage jockey talent Billy Loughnane goes close to hat-trick at Pontefract

​The feature celebrated the remarkable career of Spindrifter, trained by Sir Mark Prescott, who won a remarkable 13 races as a two-year-old in 1980.

Three of those wins came at the West Yorkshire track and the race named in honour of the horse normally throws up a useful juvenile who can be followed through the season.

There was a decent crowd at the course to cheer on their winners, despite an autumnal feel to the weather which was in stark contrast to the heat of the previous family fun day meeting just over a week earlier.

The Spindrifter Novice was supported by Tattersalls for the first time in 2024 and with a prize fund of £40,000 attracted six potentially high class fillies.

The odds on favourite was Ralph Beckett’s course and distance winner, Ardeur. She was, however, unable to get to grips with Karl Burke’s Unspoken Love who followed up her Musselburgh win with another brave success.

Danny Tudhope made all the running and held off the fast finishing Sunshine Soul under fast rising young jockey Billy Loughnane who was a little unlucky and had her run blocked at a crucial stage.

The fortunes of Loughnane took a turn for the better later in the day as he secured a double on board Magnum Opus and Coloane.

The Royal Ascot winning 18-year-old has been an incredible addition to the jockey ranks and continued to impress on his two winners.

Magnum Opus was dropping down in trip and was something of a surprise winner for the team of Simon and Ed Crisford.

The 18-1 winner had failed to stay a mile-and-a-quarter on his reappearance, but was well suited to the one mile journey on the stiff track and weaved his way through the field to win easily by three lengths.

Roger Fell’s Coloane was much shorter in the betting at 7-1, but still benefited from a classic Loughnane ride as he came from the rear of the field to lead inside the final furlong.

The opening race at the Ponte meeting remembered Wilfred Underwood.

This race for amateur riders has been farmed by Serena Brotherton in recent years and she teamed up once more with last year’s winner, Unplugged, to try and repeat the success.

All seemed to be going to plan for Mick and David Easterby’s runner as the pair struck the front in the final furlong.

However, they were picked off close home by Scott Dixon’s Visibility under jockey Freddie Tett.

The winner was scoring his second victory over course and distance and is clearly one to watch out for at Pontefract.

The Easterby team had better luck later on the card when Late Arrival won the Northern Commercials six furlong handicap.

The winner had taken the same race in 2022 and clearly enjoys the challenges presented by the track at Pontefract.

Living up to his name, Jo Mason guided the winner to the front close home to score by half-a-length from Simon Whitaker’s Variety Island.

Rossa Ryan had a successful trip to Ireland over the weekend and the jockey, who had also registered a treble at Pontefract earlier in the rear, hit the mark on Ed Bethell’s Cavalier Approach.

The winner has been a bit of a tearaway in recent runs, but enjoyed the drop to five furlongs on a stiff course and was much more tractable.

Cavalier Approach was always in the first two and struck the front a fair way from home, putting the race to bed in a matter of strides.

He is one to keep on the right side of under similar circumstances.

Pontefract’s next meeting is the Pipalong Stakes Raceday next Tuesday.

Gates open at 12 noon with the first race due off at 2.15pm and the feature is the Listed Pipalong Stakes – always a fiercely competitive affair offering fillies and mares a final chance to get that all important ‘Black Type’ on their racing career.

Last year saw an Irish victory with Dha Leath – who will hit the target in 2024?

For more details about upcoming events visit the course’s website at www.pontefract-races.co.uk or call 01977 781307.