Exciting finishes as Pontefract race goers enjoy final meeting of 2024 season

​The feature race on the card was the 32nd running of the Listed EBF Silver Tankard Stakes. Back in 2021, Amo Racing’s Mr Professor thwarted Juddmonte’s Westover in a thrilling finish, writes Richard Hammill.

The two owners came to the fore in the 2024 renewal and once again it was the purple silks of Amo Racing who came out on top when their Tuscan Hills ran out an impressive winner.

A ready winner on his debut at Thirsk, Raphael Freire’s youngster showed an impressive turn of foot in the conditions to win, eased down by 4 ¾ lengths. Ralph Beckett’s Calla Lagoon, representing Juddmonte, had no answers to the winner but still ran a promising race in second.

The supporting race on the card was the Phil Bull Trophy Conditions Stakes and a small but select field of four went to post.

With each of the runners running in Listed or Group races during the year, there was a real touch of class to proceedings. There was a tremendous finish to the race and former winner, Wise Eagle, looked as though he was coming to claim the race for a second time.

However, Ralph Beckett’s 3yo filly, Oxford Comma, was not for passing and posted a victory that promised a lot for her future staying career. She could take high rank in 2025.

Racegoers had to wait until the very last race on the card to find out who would be crowned the 2024 leading trainer at the West Yorkshire venue.

Courtesy of a double in the last two races, Tim Easterby was crowned the leading Ponte trainer once again with Austrian Theory and Profiteer the winning horses.

David Allan did the steering on both winners with Profiteer making it two course and distance wins in October. Austrian Theory has been winless on his last 17 runs but has been running consistently well with a fourth at York on his most recent outing.

Relishing conditions, he stayed on powerfully to deny favourite, Inappropriate. Danny Tudhope was crowned the leading jockey. Although he recorded the same number of winners as Rossa Ryan, he had more places than the Arc winning jockey.

The first two races saw the youngsters hit the track. Ed Dunlop improved his enviable strike rate at the West Yorkshire track when Loving Apprentice was a well supported winner of the opener.

The winner had the race sewn up coming into the straight and stretched clear to win by 3¾ lengths. Hollie Doyle and Peter Chapple Hyam teamed up for the second winner of the day as Charming Fellow was another well supported winner.

Clearly an improving, well handicapped horse, Hollie set out to make all the running and her willing partner kept finding more each time he was challenged.

The British EBF also supported the 6f Fillies Handicap and there was another victory for last season’s Great St Wilfrid Handicap winner, Sophia’s Starlight. Sam James’ mount was always travelling easily at the head of affairs and stayed on well in conditions she clearly enjoys.

The day closed with a team of 43 national hunt horses stretching their legs on the Pontefract turf ahead of the jumping season. The 2025 season starts on Tuesday, April 8.