Pontefract Racecourse: Preview and tips for Wednesday’s six-race midweek card

Racing gets under way at 2.10pm with an 11-runner amateur jockeys’ handicap before the card comes to a close at 4.40pm with another 11-runner contest, this time a class four handicap, writes Sam Inkersole.

Read below to discover the latest preview and tips for Pontefract’s card on Wednesday, courtesy of Betway (https://betway.com/en/sports/cat/horse-racing).

The opener (2.10) looks a strong race for trainer Tim Easterby, who has veteran Just Hiss ready to land this race for a second year in a row having gone close last time out at Nottingham.

Two stablemates could quite easily make it a 1-2-3 for Easterby here, with Burglar’s Dream, taken to sneak ahead of Highwaygrey on 4lb better terms than when they locked horns over this course and distance 10 days ago.

An eight-runner maiden stakes is race two on the Pontefract card as the two-year-olds are on show at 2.40 over the six furlong trip.

End Of Romance makes his debut here for trainer Karl Burke and looks promising on paper, a half-brother to top class Hong Kong sprinter Romantic Warrior and another six furlong winner in Melodic Charm so is certainly bred to excel in this sphere.

Another interesting newcomer in this one is Midnight Thunder, trained by Saeed bin Suroor, closely related to another six furlong winner in Elegant Charm.

A small field of four will take on the extended two-mile handicap at 3.10 and Godsend arrives here on a hat-trick for trainer Sir Mark Prescott, having absolutely hacked up at Ffos Las eight days ago so will take all the beating here.

Three-time course and distance winner Yorkindness can fill the second spot for trainer Charlie Johnston.

Six runners will head to the stalls for race four of the afternoon (3.40) which is a veterans handicap in class four for horses aged six and older.

Zozimus has proved to be a tricky customer to handle in his career but is ideally drawn here so can take advantage to get the win for trainer David O’Meara ahead of previous course and distance winner Garden Oasis, a good winner at Ripon in July who will likely try to make all the running at Pontefract.

The penultimate race of the card on Wednesday (4.10) is a 10 runner sprint in class five over five furlongs, with preference for Catch Cunningham who bounded back to winning ways just this past weekend at Newmarket and is turned out quickly despite a 5lb penalty in the weights for that success.

Finally, the card comes to a close with the 11-runner handicap in class four for three-year-olds and upwards (4.40).

Formidable Force, trained by James Fergsuon, looks to be able to live up to his name in the card closer having landed a career-best when striking at Lingfield on June 6.

Of his rivals, July course and distance winner No Nay Niucki can give him the most to think about off the back of a respectable sixth of 17 in a York handicap on his last spin.

Pontefract selections - Wednesday:

2.10 - Just Hiss

2.40 - End Of Romance

3.10 - Godsend

3.40 - Zozimus

4.10 - Catch Cunningham

4.40 - Formidable Force