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

PONTEFRACT SEASON 2017
Wednesday 9th August
Welcome to this our eleventh meeting racing in Yorkshire.



The eleventh meeting for 2017 we come on the back of a successful one last time out where our overall loss was reduced a bit but not entirely wiped out. We move into the August period on a loss of -13.26 points for the season. Passed halfway for the season now but there is plenty more to come we will look forward to getting underway on Wednesday afternoon where the first race will be off about 2:10pm.

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.

Today's meeting is showcased as "Ladies Day" and there will be the usual judging and prizes awarded, with an array of hats, fascinators and stilettos, the ladies of Yorkshire truly do ‘dress to impress’ in an effort to win the coveted Best Dressed Lady Competition.

In 2017, the Best Dressed Lady will win a holiday for 2 to the stunning RIU resort in Sri Lanka! This all inclusive week long trip includes flights!  -- The winner will also compete to be the Best Dressed Lady in Yorkshire at the final at Doncaster Racecourse.

The Best Dressed Lady Competition will again be judged before racing starts. Watch out for the radio crew from Heart who will allocate numbers to 100 lucky finalists. They'll be on the lookout from the minutes that the gates open at midday and the 100 finalists will then gather in the Parade Ring at 1pm with the top 3 announced shortly after 1.30pm. 

The prizes are as follows:

  1st prize: An all inclusive trip for 2 to the stunning RIU resort in Sri Lanka.

  Runner-up prize: 3 Nights for 2 people in the fantastic new RIU Hotel in Dublin.

  2nd Runner-up prize: 4 Guest Badges for Ladies Day 2018.

The forecast going is currently reported as 'Good to Soft and Good in places' the weather for Wednesday is for some rain showers during the day with a forecast maximum temperature around 19C.

Here are our selections for the 8 races on Wednesday afternoon, remember it's a very simple selection process of stalls 1 and 2 in every race;


2:10 1m 2f 53yds Handicap (Gentleman Amateurs).
(1) -- SEA THE SEA  [WON 3/1].
(2) -- GREY DIAMOND  [5th 12/1].

2:40 6f Novice Stakes.
(1) -- MARCONI  [5th 50/1].
(2) -- BATTLE COMMENCE  [Non Runner].

3:10 1m 6yds Handicap (Div 1).
(1) -- IM DAPPER TOO  [WON 9/4F].
(2) -- CALYPSO DELEGATOR  [10th 20/1].

3:40 1m 4f 5yds Handicap.
(1) -- KASPERENKO   [Non Runner].
(2) -- MUTADAFFEQ  [WON 15/8F].

4:10 5f 3yds Handicap.
(1) -- SEAMSTER  [4th 4/1].
(2) -- MUATADEL  [2nd 4/1].

4:40 1m 6yds Veterans Handicap.
(1) -- ROCKWOOD   [Non Runner].
(2) -- LIL SOPHELLA  [Non Runner].

5:10 6f Handicap.
(1) -- COSMIC CHATTER  [WON 3/1].
(2) -- MR ORANGE  [3rd 9/4F].

5:40 1m 6yds Handicap (Div 2).
(1) -- THORNABY NASH  [Non Runner].
(2) -- ZONE IN   [Non Runner].

Staked -- 16 points.
Returns -- 20.125 points (3 winners no fewer than Six Non Runners so far).

Results for this afternoon's meeting will be updated later. As we a little profit tonight we have reduced the loss for the season down to -9.135 to bring forward to next meeting.

Our next meeting will be held on Sunday 20th August.

Hope you can keep following us throughout the season.

KEMPTON PARK RACES 2017 -- WEDNESDAY NIGHTS #19 9th AUGUST

Welcome to our nineteenth meeting of 2017 here at Kempton Park and after a losing week last time out we have reached the midway point of the year down a small amount -10.625 points to level stakes at SP. Given that we'd usually take prices and William Hill offer best odds guaranteed I think we'd be further ahead than we are. We'll see how the second half of the year goes.

As always our focus will be on the handicap contests for each meeting but will occasionally include a feature listed or conditions event too. Keeping records of our endeavours to a 1pt level stake at SP, naturally we will personally be looking to get better odds but for the purpose of these results we record to SP.

We will keep up with our occasional lay opportunities of short priced favourites too, as always we will keep these results separately from the handicap figures. 

This Wednesday is our nineteenth meeting for 2017 and we are expecting a seven race card tonight with four handicaps for us to delve into so we a little less work to do tonight. This evenings action will commence at 18:05 with a Class 6 handicap event over a mile. 

Here's a link to this Wednesday's race card; EVENING RACECARD

The going on the polytrack surface is described as 'standard to slow' and the current weather forecast is for plenty of cloud and a good chance of some showers perhaps. A max temperature of about 16C when the meeting gets underway.

Here are our selections for this evenings 4 handicap races;

18:05 -- 1m Handicap.
A low key start and 14 runners who are pretty much regulars here on the AW. Stick with a couple of selections that have gone well before for us, both are big prices so be nice touch if one obliged. FREDDY WITH A Y [5th 7/1] / ESTIBDAAD [6th 16/1].

20:05 -- 7f Handicap.
A slightly better grade of handicap (but not much) yet it's attracted the attention of some of the better trainers from Newmarket. 13 declared, headed by Roger Varian's TOBRAVE [2nd 6/1] and Ed Dunlop brings his colt MUDALLEL [4th 4/1] both are lightly raced, and have reasonably modest handicap marks and might be able to go better with the experience. 

20:35 -- 1m 3f 219y Handicap.

Better race again and we pair a couple of Course / Distance winners against the field with ARAB MOON [WON 2/1] / RUBENSIAN [5th 8/1].

21:05 -- 1m 7f 218y Handicap.

Our finale is for the stayers, just the eight runners line up, so the likely ones are HIGH COMMAND [3rd 4/1] and DOMINATING [2nd 2/1] who has been doing just that winning 3 of his last 4 runs and appears to be improving for the step up in distance.

Staked -- 8 points.
Returns --3 points.

Results will appear later tonight. Currently we have a deficit of -10.625 points that we bring forward to this round of racing losing another 5 points tonight so now on -15.625. 

LAYS -- We now stand at 8 from 11 successful lays. 
One for tonight in the 7:35 Maiden -- KOHINUR [LOST 4/9F] another winning Lay tonight, improves the stats to 9 from 12. 

Our next meeting here at Kempton Park on Wednesday 16th August.

GALWAY FESTIVAL 2017 [JULY 31st -- AUG 6th] -- DAY SEVEN SUNDAY

DAY SEVEN SUNDAY

Sunday is our final day of action here at Galway and the meeting will begin at 2:15pm with a 2m Handicap Hurdle.

The feature race today is the Ahonoora Handicap over 7f and will be under way at 3:20, where 15 runners face the starter for this sixty thousand euro contest. 

As mentioned on day one our recent years have focused on the horses from trainer Dermot Weld all week but it's not been the best of meetings this time and indeed on the final day he only has the ONE runner declared. I feel that perhaps time has caught up wiht him.

Still it's only once a year and plenty of fun to be had all the same. Since there's only the 1 runner for Sunday we will have a good look at some of the other races today as well.

Going -- NH - Soft, Flat - Soft to Heavy.

Weather Forecast -- A high of 16C with a good chance of rain during the day sadly. 

DAY SEVEN SELECTIONS;

2:15 -- The opening race on the final day of this years festival is a 2m+ Handicap Hurdle and with 23 runners will look at backing two against the field. Joseph O'Brien has been doing ok this week and might be the one to follow in future and we will take his 4yo TREASURE CHEST [14th 8/1] along with Jessica Harrington's TEN THEATRE [Non Runner] against the field.

3:20 -- A 7f Maiden and the only Dermot Weld runner today appears here which is YULONG GOLD FAIRY [WON 5/1] and we wish him all the best with this one as he's had no luck at all this week

3:55 -- Our feature race of the final day, the Ahonoora Handicap over 7f with 19 declared. Top weight RIVEN LIGHT [5th 9/4F] is turned out again after winning here on Tuesday and if taking his chance is certainly one to look carefully at for top trainer Willie Mullins. 

Hat Trick seeking TITHONUS [11th 7/1] comes here in great form, has a wonderful draw and his trainer is very bullish about his chances, two recent wins at Curragh now up in trip and weights but must be on the short list in current mood.

4:30 -- Just a small field of seven for this Chase event on Sunday and the Galway Plate runner up SHANESHILL [2nd 4/9F] can take this as consolation. 

5:00 -- DICOSIMO [Pulled Up 7/1]. 

5:30 -- ENSIGN [12th 10/1].

6:00 -- AINSI VA LA VIE [WON 4/7F].

Hopefully we can at least end the week with a winner. And we did when Mr Weld's final runner today YULONG GOLD FAIRY a 5/1 winner. 

D Weld p/l for week +/- [-7.50] FINISHED
Overall week p/l to date +/- [-14.74] FINISHED

Summer, Horse Racing, Galway, Irish Women, Guinness = Life IS Good.

And sadly that's all from Galway for this years festival, plenty of exciting racing still to go this year but I hope you enjoyed yourselves. I did despite the results ... and I'll be back.