Impressive King High reigns supreme in feature race at Pontefract
The finale of the 2026 racing season took place at Pontefract and the feature race on the card was the 34th running of the one mile Listed British Stallion Studs EBF Silver Tankard Stakes.
King High had demonstrated a solid level of form in his three previous starts and Owen Burrows’ representative ran out an impressive winner in the hands of Cieren Fallon.
The opening race of the afternoon was the Happy 80th Birthday William ‘Bill’ Carr Maiden Stakes over six furlongs and Longshanks Lad relished the testing conditions to gain his first career success.
Paul Mulrennan was happy to bide his time in rear on board the Patrick-Neville-trained juvenile before delivering a winning challenge inside the final furlong.
The William Hill Price Boosts Every Day Nursery produced the biggest surprise result of the season as Craig Lidster’s 100/1 outsider Craven Force sprung a shock. Always in the firing line, he responded gamely to score under an inspired ride from Duran Fentiman.
The six-furlong British Stallion Studs EBF Fillies’ Handicap went the way of Jim Goldie’s consistent filly Dandy Magic. She had been knocking on the door for a while and gained a deserved success under Lauren Young.
Maxident got the better of Moon Over Miami when the pair met at Goodwood last month but Ralph Beckett’s charge got his revenge in the stamina sapping Phil Bull Trophy Handicap.
Rossa Ryan delivered his challenge in the straight and pulled clear in the closing stages to win by three-lengths.
There was a double on the day for Cieren Fallon who took the one-mile two-furlong Napoleons Casino Bradford Handicap on board the Harry Charlton-trained Bnaider.
The final race of the season, the William Hill Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap, was won in fine style by the Mick and David Easterby representative Call To Action in the hands of Joanna Mason.
The 2027 season starts on Tuesday, April 6. 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.