🏇 PONTEFRACT HORSE RACING SYSTEM -- 2021 SEASON -- MEETING #4 28th MAY

  

PONTEFRACT SEASON 2021.

Welcome to our fourth meeting of the 2021 season taking place on Friday 28th May. 

1st race 6.00pm.
Going: Soft [Good to soft in places] 

Tickets are now being sold for future events and selling quickly, it will be nice to see a big attendance at courses around the country for the summer.

Under the current ‘roadmap’, the racing here will see (limited) numbers of spectators returning to Pontefract for the evening meeting on Friday 28th May. For as long as social distancing remains in place, however, the ‘normal’ raceday remains some way in the future. With all ‘essential workers’ (BHA and Racecourse officials, stable staff, trainers, jockeys etc) having to undergo health screening before each raceday, and then having to be kept at least 2m away from Owners and (when admitted) other racegoers, these restrictions effectively rule out any use of the Main Stand, and parts of the Second Stand, by the general public. Indeed two of the Dining Rooms in the Main Stand have been transformed into changing areas for jockeys to ensure that they are able to maintain social distance.

The following is a quote from the official Pontefract Racing site 'As soon as restrictions allow, we will open up bookings for ALL enclosures in their usual format. however, this will not be until AFTER the 21st June at the earliest!'

ALL results for these fixtures are recorded to a level stake at Starting Price (SP), and will also show any forecast results too in the daily results but these do not count for the profit / loss figures. Following a winning opening meeting we suffered a small loss in the latest meeting resulting in a deficit of -10.75 points to carry onto this fourth meeting this afternoon.

Going / Weather: The forecast going is now currently reported as 'Soft [Good to soft in places]' while the weather for Friday evening is for a generally cloudy day with some chance of showers but hopefully not too much. We are seeing a forecast maximum temperature around the 18C mark.
Here are our selections for the six races taking place on Friday evening, remember it's a very simple selection process using stalls one and two in every race;

18:00  Welcome Back To Pontefract Handicap

1m 6y  (Class 5  10 runners)
(1) -- CURFEWED  5th @15/2.
(2) -- BUCEPHALUS  WON @3/1.

18:35  OBP Utilities Ltd Novice Stakes

5f 3y  (Class 5  4 runners)

(1) -- SKYRUNNER  WON @30/100f.

(2) -- FOLLOW YOUR HEART  4th @7/2.

19:10  EBF Stallions VW Van Centre (West Yorkshire) Ltd Youngsters Conditions Stakes

6f  (Class 2  7 runners)

(1) -- WAR OF COURAGE  6th @9/1.
(2) -- FREDDY ROBINSON  4th @50/1.

19:45  Constant Security Serving Yorkshire Racecourses Handicap
1m 4f 5y  (Class 5  7 runners)

(1) -- CHAIRMAN POWER  3rd @5/1.
(2) -- CORMIER  WON @4/7f.

20:20  Napoleons Casino Bradford Fillies' Handicap

1m 2f 5y  (Class 5  5 runners)

(1) -- DOUBLE REFLECTION  5th @9/2.
(2) -- MAXINE  WON @1/1f.

20:50  Constant Security Services Handicap

5f 3y  (Class 4  6 runners)

(1) -- BOSSIPOP  WON @7/2.

(2) -- CASE KEY  6th @28/1.

Staked -- 12 points.

Returns -- 13.37 points.
Having started the 2021 season afresh, we begun reasonably well and with a full season on the track we look forward to a successful year, alas the opening few fixtures will be behind closed doors. After the opening three meetings we are sadly -10.75 points behind coming into this fourth fixture, the results for today will be updated during the evening. A winner in all bar one race tonight but shortish prices meant that we only able to generate a small profit of the evening, but we are still behind to the tune of -9.38 points.

The fifth fixture here will be another evening meeting with an attendance (hopefully) to be held on Monday 7th June so we do hope you will follow the action throughout the season.

SANDOWN PARK BRIGADIER GERARD MEETING -- THURSDAY 27th MAY (Evening)

The best quality evening race meeting of the season takes place at Sandown Park on Thursday 27th May. This meeting features two Group Three races on it's six race card, the Henry II Stakes run over 2m, and The Brigadier Gerard Stakes which is run over a distance of 1m 2f. When you throw in a couple of decent listed contests too it is a wonderful evening card and it was hoped that ITV would repeat their coverage on TV which they successfully trialled when this meeting was last held here back in 2019, yet sadly it appears the cameras are not here which is disappointing for all fans of quality horse racing action.
This is usually a meeting that I would have attended each year as it falls close to my older brother's birthday, and while there are some crowds back I am skipping this year and will follow things from home. 

A link to the evening race card can be found here; LINK

Going and Weather

The official going is described as Soft (Heavy in places).

Hopefully the weather is good, the on course bars are well stocked and the customers can enjoy a cracking night, I'll be back there sometime soon too. 

Now here are this evenings races and my selections for tonight; 

5.45pm Play Coral 'racing-super-series' For Free Handicap
1 mile 2 furlongs  [Class 5  12 runners].
We open with a middle distance handicap headed by BAD COMPANY who is the one to beat on latest form winner of four races towards the end of last year and returned in a slightly higher grade when runner up to HMS President at Windsor, should go very well today and acts well on soft going. Support for Noble Masquerade would be interesting as another who will act on the soft ground, but will side with BORN TO PLEASE together with the likely fav here against the field in a low key opening event.
Winner - (2) Sweet Reward @10/1 [Rob Hornby].

6:15pm    Coral National Stakes (Listed Race)
(2yo only) 5 furlongs  [Class 1  8 runners].
The first of the quality races, a 5f sprint down the middle of the course for 2yo's and all eight runners have at least one win already so this will be a test. CHIPOTLE won the season opening Brocklesby Stakes at Doncaster and then followed that up by winning a good trial at Ascot beating The Gatekeeper in the process, looks the one to beat on form available. NAVELLO won by 6L at Chester last time to complete a hat-trick of wins and the yard is doing really well so far with it's 2yo's. Support for any of the field is significant though I'd look at the filly CHOUX as the pick of the pair from David Evans' yard.
Winner - (3) Ebro River @4/1 [James Doyle].

6:50pm    Coral Henry II Stakes (Group 3) 
2 mile 50 yards  [Class 1  5 runners].
The first of our two Group Three's tonight, the stayers event will see just the five runners take on the two mile trip, a previous winner of the Ascot Sagaro stakes NAYEF ROAD will appreciate this contest without Stradivarius in the line up, and should make a good staying test despite the small field. OCEAN WIND was runner up in this years renewal at Ascot and another to appreciate the soft ground here should be between the pair of them. Of the three remaining horses RANCH HAND has continued to progress for the step up in trip but will need to improve again to reach the level of the front pair, Rainbow Dreamer and Lismore make up the field tonight.
Winner - (5) Lismore @14/1 [JP Spencer].

7:25pm    THE BRIGADIER GERARD STAKES (Group 3)
1 miles 2 furlongs  [Class 1  4 runners].
The feature race of the evening and is being dedicated to the late Joe Mercer who was of course the regular jockey of Brigadier Gerard. SANGARIUS is the top rated here and drops down a level having been runner up in a Chester Group 2 last time, Sir Michael Stoute's 5yo should be popular here and Ryan Moore on board, doesn't have much to beat as long as the small field doesn't make this too tactical. EXTRA ELUSIVE should be better for his recent third place here in the Gordon Richards stakes and is likely to give our other selection the most to think about, not a two horse race at all FOX TAL has tried G3 company last year and needs to find more but is in good hands and big owners so not discounted completely while the field is completed by Euchen Glen and Oriental Mystique (Non runner).
Winner - (1) Euchen Glen @20/1 [P Mulrennan].

8:00pm    Coral Whitsun Cup Handicap
1 mile  [Class 3  10 runners].
A pair of handicaps to end the meeting with, both over a mile, and we first of all look at EPIC ENDEAVOUR here if fit to go first time up this season should be good enough having won on the soft going when last seen, capable of seeing off the challenge from the likes of RANSOM who will need to switch from the all weather to soft ground but clearly in good order with the step up to the mile trip surely in his favour too.

At bigger prices History Writer has been highly tried and this represents a step back in grade, and fallen to a mark of 93 now could be interesting each way.

Winner - (2) Dashing Roger @5/1 [Marco Ghiani].

8:30pm    Coral 'supporting Prostate Cancer' Handicap 
1 mile  [Class 4  11 runners].
A winner here last week URBAN VIOLET reappears under a penalty and should still be one to side with for Mick Channon's team, won by over eight lengths so no surprise if she follows up once more. Also of interest in the finale is FINAL WATCH who won last time out at Newmarket too and with Hollie Doyle booked sure to remain popular. Roger Charlton does well with his runners here and Encourage runs in the famous colours of  HM The Queen and at 12/1 another for the win/place players is stepping back in trip back to the mile which should help and certainly looks a place bet for us.

Winner - (11) Coul Kat @9/1 [B A Curtis].

Have a fun evening and Happy Birthday to my big brother Graham, we will have to do this next year!

HOME NATIONS ANNOUNCE EURO 2020 SQUADS

With the delayed 2020 European Championships fast approaching, countries are starting to announce their squads for the tournament.  As well as causing a 12-month delay to the event, the impact of Covid-19 means nations are able to select 26 players as opposed to the usual 23. We'll update with the Home Nations confirmed squads as the tournament draws ever nearer (albeit just the 12 months late of course).
ENGLAND

Gareth Southgate will name his final 26-man squad on Tuesday 1st June. England face Croatia (13/6 14:00 BST), Scotland (18/6 20:00) and the Czech Republic (22/6 20:00) in Group D with all those games at Wembley.  Before then, they will play two friendlies at Middlesbrough's Riverside Stadium - against Austria on 2nd June and Romania on 6th June.

Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Man Utd), Sam Johnstone (West Brom), Jordon Pickford (Everton)

Defenders: John Stones (Man City), Luke Shaw (Man Utd), Harry Maguire (Man Utd), Ben White (Brighton), Kyle Walker (Man City), Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa), Reece James (Chelsea), Conor Coady (Wolves), Ben Chilwell (Chelsea), Kieran Trippier (Atletico Madrid)

Midfielders: Mason Mount (Chelsea), Declan Rice (West Ham), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Kalvin Phillips (Leeds)

Forwards: Harry Kane (Tottenham), Marcus Rashford (Man Utd), Raheem Sterling (Man City), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton), Phil Foden (Man City), Jack Grealish (Aston Villa), Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)

Captain - Harry Kane.
Manager - Gareth Southgate.

SCOTLAND

Goalkeepers: David Marshall (Derby), Craig Gordon (Hearts), Jon McLaughlin (Rangers).

Defenders: Liam Cooper (Leeds), Declan Gallagher (Motherwell), Grant Hanley (Norwich), Jack Hendry (Celtic), Scott McKenna (Nottingham Forest), Stephen O'Donnell (Motherwell), Nathan Patterson (Rangers), Andy Robertson (Liverpool), Greg Taylor (Celtic), Kieran Tierney (Arsenal).

Midfielders: Stuart Armstrong (Southampton), Ryan Christie, Callum McGregor, David Turnbull (all Celtic), John Fleck (Sheffield United), John McGinn (Aston Villa), Billy Gilmour (Chelsea), Scott McTominay (Manchester United).

Forwards: Ryan Fraser (Newcastle), James Forrest (Celtic), Kevin Nisbet (Hibernian), Che Adams (Southampton), Lyndon Dykes (QPR).

Captain - Andy Robertson.

Manager - Steve Clarke.

WALES

Goalkeepers: Wayne Hennessey (Crystal Palace), Danny Ward (Leicester City), Adam Davies (Stoke City).

Defenders: Chris Gunter (Charlton Athletic), Ben Davies (Tottenham Hotspur), Connor Roberts (Swansea City), Ethan Ampadu (Chelsea), Chris Mepham (AFC Bournemouth), Joe Rodon (Tottenham Hotspur), James Lawrence (St Pauli), Neco Williams (Liverpool), Rhys Norrington-Davies (Sheffield United), Ben Cabango (Swansea City).

Midfielders: Aaron Ramsey (Juventus), Joe Allen (Stoke City), Jonny Williams (Cardiff City, Harry Wilson (Liverpool), Daniel James (Manchester United), David Brooks (AFC Bournemouth), Joe Morrell (Luton Town), Matt Smith (Manchester City), Dylan Levitt (Manchester United), Rubin Colwill (Cardiff City).

Forwards: Gareth Bale (Real Madrid), Kieffer Moore (Cardiff City), Tyler Roberts (Leeds United).

Captain - Gareth Bale.
Caretaker Manager - Robert Page 

(standing in for Ryan Giggs).

The tournament gets underway on Friday 11th June with the opening match in Rome between Turkey vs Italy.