PONTEFRACT HORSE RACING SYSTEM -- 2017 TURF SEASON -- PART THREE

PONTEFRACT SEASON 2017

Wednesday 3rd May 

Welcome to this our third meeting racing in Yorkshire. 

Time for our third meeting here in West Yorkshire for Pontefract Racecourse. Coming quickly on the back of our first couple of meetings where sadly we are a little behind but not by much. -5.3 points down for the season with plenty of time to turn that around. We will look forward to getting underway on Wednesday where the first race will be off about 2.15pm.

As always we count ALL results for this meeting returned to a level stake at SP, and will also show any forecast results too in the daily results but these do not count for the profit / loss figures.

The forecast going is currently reported as 'Good, Good to firm in places' the weather for Wednesday afternoon is for a generally sunny day with a forecast maximum temperature around the 13-14C mark.

Here are our selections for the 7 races on Wednesday afternoon, remember it's a very simple selection process of stalls 1 and 2 in every race;

2:15 5f Novice Stakes (2yo).
(1) -- BRANDY STATION [WON 33/1].
(2) -- VENTURA CREST.

2:50 1m 2f 6yds Maiden.
(1) -- WARM LOVE [3rd 8/1].
(2) -- SILK TRADER [4th 100/1].

3:25 1m 4yds Handicap.
(1) -- RAVENHOE  [WON 11/4].
(2) -- CELTIC ARTISAN [3rd 16/1].

4:00 1m 2f 6yds Fillies Handicap.
(1) -- LUNA MARE [5th 7/1].
(2) -- DESERT WAY [4th 12/1].

4:35 6f Handicap.
(1) -- BOUNTY PURSUIT [Non Runner].
(2) -- GIN IN THE INN [WON 11/10F].

5:10 6f Handicap.
(1) -- RED GUNNER [9th 8/1].
(2) -- MONT ROYAL [4th 9/1].

5:45 5f Apprentice Handicap.
(1) -- BURTONWOOD [6th 11/2].
(2) -- NOAH AMOR [2nd 11/4].

Staked -- 14 points.
Returns -- 40.85 Points. Wonderful day kicked off with a 33/1 shot (backed at 50s but even so what a result) +26.85 profit today. 

Alas so far it's been a fairly mixed start in the opening two rounds with just a few winners and several non runners, meaning a small loss of -5.3 points to SP to carry forward here for our 3rd meeting.

Our results from today will be updated later on at the end of the meeting although I am also away at Ascot races and that too will be written up shortly. As a result of our successful day we are now back in the black and showing an overall profit of +21.55 to carry forth.

Our next meeting will be an evening card held on Friday 26th May. 

Keep following us throughout the season. 

ASCOT RACES SAGARO STAKES MEETING - WEDNESDAY 3rd MAY 2017. (BIRTHDAY MEETING)

A midweek day out to Ascot this week to celebrate another birthday, been coming here for many years now on this particular meeting although numbers have sadly dwindled recently, but to celebrate my advancing years we decamp to Ascot races for their midweek fixture featuring the Ascot Gold Cup trial the Group 3 Sagaro Stakes. 

Today's race card is good quality for a midweek meeting with another Group 3 (Pavilion Stakes) and a listed event (Paradise Stakes). In recent years the fields have been small and although the opening race has attracted just five runners the rest of the card is much better than previous renewals. 

Here's a link to the days racecard;
https://www.sportinglife.com/racing/racecards/2017-05-03

There is a bit of a chill in the air and possible forecast for a drop of rain in the afternoon however we will have a fun day out come what may, it's the nearest local meeting to my birthday and always better than being at work. 

Here are my selections for this meeting;

2.00 - 5f Conditions Stakes (2yo) 
Our midweek event gets underway with a decent looking 2yo race over the minimum trip. Although only a small field of five have been declared with the likely favourite CORINTHIA KNIGHT having won a pair of AW events this first outing on turf could be worth opposing at the short odds. Lost 5/6F

The Richard Hannon team have always featured well here even going back to his fathers time, so although lacking a previous run TANGLED [5th 8/1] must have shown enough at home to warrant his debut here when the yard have plenty of 2yo to choose from.

2.35 - 1m Conditions Stakes (3yo Fillies)
A good field of ten next for the mile conditions event, all are three year old fillies and are headed by GLITTER GIRL, a winner of three events last year but her best run came in defeat in the Group 3 Oh So Sharp Stakes. A repeat of that should take this. Non Runner

It wouldn't be Ascot without Frankie Dettori involved and he's on ICESPIRE [2nd Evens] a daughter of Frankel and winner of her only race so far. Should improve as a 3yo and John Gosden is already off and running this term. With these connections she is sure to be well supported. 

3.10 - 2m Sagaro Stakes (Group 3)
What is usually the feature race on the card now shares top billing with the Pavilion Stakes as the G3 contests here, this seems to be an excellent renewal with plenty of contenders for the Ascot Gold Cup including the useful PALLASATOR [5th 7/2] who despite his advancing years (8yo now) will be hard to beat if on a rare going day as he was last year at Sandown in May. 

Winner of last years Cesarewitch at Newmarket SWEET SELECTION [WON 15/2] guaranteed to stay and the long home straight sure to suit this horse. Should be a well run race with a strong field and an exciting finish expected.

3.45 - 6f Pavilion Stakes (3yo) (Group 3)
A field of twelve 3yo's next for this big prize and the second Group three contest on the card. Headed by HARRY ANGEL [2nd 7/2] who has to carry a few pounds penalty for last seasons win in the Mill Reef stakes a Group Two event at Newbury. Even with that small burden should be taken very seriously if trained on as a 3yo. 

Another Frankel runner here with SEVEN HEAVENS [7th 7/1] being ridden by Frankie Dettori for John Gosden and if those connections go well earlier in the day with Icespire you can see this being popular with doubles and trebles running on. Is a course and distance winner in his own right having won his maiden event here last July.

Lurking at the bottom receiving a few pounds from all the field is ROSIE BRIAR [10th 33/1] and winner of two of her three starts last year looks interesting as an each way chance. 

4.20 - 1m Paradise Stakes (Listed)
Only seven declared for the listed event over a mile, three of them owned by Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum (Algaith, Tabaarak, Mootaharer). 

The top one however is ENNAADD but has been campaigned almost exclusively on the all weather tracks albeit very successfully. Can't help but thinking the change in surface, and class will find this tough with preference for TABAARAK [WON 7/2] of the Hamdan trio, already a winner on the course and with the forecast Good to Firm ground in his favour. 

4.55 - 1m Apprentice Handicap
14 here for the finale, all apprentices, often hard to know what form they will be in and not usually a race I make a point of betting in. However, if you got 5 winners and need this for the jackpot/placepot you might do worse than throwing in the pair SELECTION [3rd 11/4F] / BLUE REVELATION [Non Runner] against the field.

Good luck
Results will appear here during Wednesday evening, if I'm sober enough to update things then. But also check out the Pontefract blog too which is also taking place today.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME !! 
(well, it was last Sunday)

AFC WIMBLEDON END OF SEASON 2016-17

This weekend is the final game of the season in League One and it's a home fixture for AFC Wimbledon who will host Oldham Athletic to bring the curtain down on another successful season in our short history. During our first season in League One the Dons spent most of it comfortably in mid table and a nice home win over the smelly Franchise experiment was a highlight. Sadly being dumped out of the FA Cup to non league Sutton United wasn't enjoyable neither was missing out on possible ties with Leeds and Arsenal either. However looking at the season as a whole finishing 15th in the table on 57 points it's another improvement on previous years and consolidation which I am in favour of while the biggest challenge is OFF the field with the continued wait for a return to Plough Lane and a new stadium almost sorted. 

The club's end-of-season awards will be made at our last home league game of the season, against Oldham Athletic on Sunday 30 April, hopefully that is more exciting than the boring 0-0 draw we just witnessed.

As always there will be two main awards which will be decided by the fans vote.

The WISA 'Allen Batsford' Player of the Year award was won last season by Paul Robinson (pictured here receiving his award). 

This year’s winner will be the latest in an illustrious line that stretches back to Kevin Cooper (Mk I), who received the inaugural award on the pitch at Molineux in 2002. 

The 2017 winner was announced as -- Tom Elliott.

The Young Player of the Year will receive the Natalie Callow Memorial Trophy, donated by the Womble Underground Press, and won last season by Adebayo Azeez. For this award, you can vote for any of the following players who have featured in the first-team this season and who were 21 or under on 1 August 2016.

The contenders for this award are as follows:

Jayden Antwi

Alfie Egan

Will Nightingale -- WINNER. Well done Will. 

George Oakley

Seth Owens

Well done to all the winners and we will see who is around when we come to kick off next season.