17:46 Well that’s it from Pontefract where the weather has been much kinder than it threatened to be, although the sky is once again leaden.

Also the cones have been well behaved this afternoon!!

Tomorrow is say one of Newmarket’s July meeting and we will be there with full coverage.

Until then a very good afternoon.

17:44 Only six went to post in our longest race of the afternoon, a 1m 4f maiden stakes.

The betting had it three with a chance and three no-hopers and that is how the race panned out – almost.

The three no-hopers ran their own race behind the other three.

Up front the favourite Times Up set the pace with Gibb River and Alqaffay tracking.

Five out Gibb River took up the running and Times Up had dropped back to third place.

Positions remained unaltered until the turned for home, when Gibb River came under pressure and it looked as though Alqaffay was going to take up the running.

However it transpired Eddie Ahern was taking a breather and Times Up came back to take up the running.

Richard Hills asked Alqaffay to respond but his mount did not.

Gibb River retained second place by default but was never going to catch the winner, with Times Up recording a comfortable seven length victory.

17:12 Only six went to post in our longest race of the afternoon, a 1m 4f maiden stakes.

The betting had it three with a chance and three no-hopers and that is how the race panned out – almost.

The three no-hopers ran their own race behind the other three.

Up front the favourite Times Up set the pace with Gibb River and Alqaffay tracking.

Five out Gibb River took up the running and Times Up had dropped back to third place.

Positions remained unaltered until the turned for home, when Gibb River came under pressure and it looked as though Alqaffay was going to take up the running.

However it transpired Eddie Ahern was taking a breather and Times Up came back to take up the running.

Richard Hills asked Alqaffay to respond but his mount did not.

Gibb River retained second place by default but was never going to catch the winner, with Times Up recording a comfortable seven length victory.

16:45 Back to six furlongs for our principal race, the King Richard III Handicap.

There is a saying of horses for courses and the truism was confirmed in this contest.

Dickie Le Davoir has, frankly, done very little since winning this contest last year, however back at  a course he clearly loves John Harris’s five-year-old, under a strong Jamie Spencer ride took the contest for the second year running.

Spencer had to work hard bringing the horse from last to first and then trying to keep him straight, once in front a furlong out. Indeed half a furlong from home the leader jinked and Spencer did well to stay on board.

The margin of victory, two lengths, would probably been more had the winner stayed staright.

The runners-up spot went to Red Cape who had been settled behind the leaders throughout .

The favourite Eton Rifles failed to impress, coming home a never nearer third.

Mr Wolf and Misplaced Fortune were close enough if good enough but both tired in the closing stages.

16:13 Back to 10 furlongs for race four and another handicap.

It was a contest where the pace was set by the outsider Runswick Bay, with Dark Prospect, Jeer and Hollins tracking the leader.

The favourite, Red Jade, was settled behind the front four by Neil Callan.

As they turned for home the front runner ran out of steam and quickly dropped out of contention, whilst at the same time Hollins ran on to take up the running under Frederick Tylicki.

The move was decisive and he ran on well and although Dark Prospect attempted to fight back the race was over by one out.

Charlie Tokyo, after sitting in rear in the early stages, came with a late run under pressure, never threatening the winner and only just failing to grab the runners-up spot by a nose.

Red Jade made promising progress three out but failed to capitalise, eventually coming home fourth.

15:43 Another non-runner in our next, Atabaas Allure is out due to the ground.

15:41 Down to the minimum distance of 5f for race three, a handicap and it turned out to be a result for the bookies.

Baby Queen and Red Kyte set off to make the pace and had contrasting fortunes with the former only beating one home, whilst Red Kyte held off a late challenge from Exceed Elegance to win by a diminishing neck.

Tactically the race was interesting with the field staying a few horse widths out from the stands rail.

Indeed it was only Franny Norton on the runner up who came over to the perceived better ground and despite the horse being worked up the tactic almost paid off.

15:16 A mile and a quarter maiden for our second contest.

Laughing Boy was sent off the 6/5 favourite with Dark Quest having been well backed from 9/2 into 11/4.

Another interesting contender was Dove, off the track since October 2007.

The rank outsider King’s Counsel set the pace with Dark Quest and Whirlijig in pursuit. The favourite was settled towards the rear.

Two out King’s Counsel still had an uncontested lead as the field tracked towards the stands rail.
Jimmy Fortune asked Dove for a run and the filly responded well and soon had the lead.

Dark Quest tried to follow the leader and Laughing Boy was also running on.

Inside the final furlong Dark Quest drifted to her right and interfered with Laughing Boy, although the favourite was never going to win.

Jimmy Fortune returned an easy double on Dove, coming home three clear of Dark Quest. Whirlijig held on to take third with the favourite fourth.  

14:44 A competitive little nursery to get us under way.

Joint favourite Merseyside Star set off in front with the worked up Flaneur giving chase and Mark Johnston’s King Of Axum unable to front run and having to settle for third spot.

Three out the other joint favourite Colonel Mak had joined in the action up front and by two out had taken the lead in what looked to be a winning move.

However Take It To The Max who had been settled almost last was launched with a late run by Jimmy Fortune and, although hanging, just collared Colonel Mak on the line.

Take It To the Max, trained by Gary Moore, recorded a neck victory.

The front pair finished 3¾ lengths ahead of third placed Flaneur who, provided he learns to settle, could well be a future winner.

The front running Merseyside Star came home fourth.   

14:21 The runners are in the parade ring for our opener, a 6f nursery.

Big negative for Lady Lube Rye, who is getting very warm and has two handlers restraining her.

King Of Axum and Colonel Max are also a bit warm.

Bubbelas looked lovely and relaxed.

13:25 Good afternoon from Pontefract where the weather is overcast and there have been some sharp showers during the morning, this has had an impact on the going which is now Good to Soft.

We now have four non-runners, details on the right.

08:51 There were 2.5mm of rain yesterday, with the rain stopping around seven last night. The forecast is for more showers today.

The official going remains Good and there are currently no non-runners.

Our selections are:-

Return to race archive:

Non-Runners

The time in brackets is the time the horse was officially declared a non-runner.

SC - Self Certificate
VC - Vet's Certificate

3:30
7 Sea Crest (cut leg - VC 10:33)

4:00
4 Eton Fable (Going - 10:04)
9 Atabaas Allure (going 14:50)

4:30
7 Johannes (Bruised foot - VC 10:15)
10 Bel Cantor (Going - 10:04)

Results

2:30 Nursery Handicap 6f

1st 4 Take It To Teh Max 5/1
2nd 2 Colonel Mak 11/4 jf
3rd 8 Flaneur 14/1
8 Ran
Distances neck & 3 3/4
Fav second & No 7 (4th)
Tote
Win £5.90
Places £1.80 £1.80 £3.10
Exacta £21.40
CSF £18.87
Tricast £179.64
Time 1' 19.18"

3:00 Maiden Stakes 1m 2f 6yds

1st 1 Dove 5/1
2nd 6 Dark Quest 11/4
3rd 2 Whirlijig 12/1
8 Ran
Distances 3 & 1/2
Fav 5 Laughing Boy 6/5 (4th)
Tote
Win £5.90
Places £1.40 £1.50 £2.00
Exacta £21.90
CSF £18.73
Time 2' 17.69"

3:30 Handicap 5f

1st 3 Red Kyte 7/1
2nd 8 Exceed Elegance 14/1
7 Ran NR 7
Distances neck
Fav 1 Noodles Blue Boy 9/4 (5th)
Tote
Win £7.60
Places £3.10 £4.20
Exacta £132.50
CSF £87.20
Tricast £510.03
Time 1' 05.24"

4:00 Handicap 1m 2f 6yds

1st 8 Hollins 14/1
2nd 1 Red Jade 4/1
3rd 3 Charlie Tokyo 7/1
8 Ran Nr's 4 & 9
Distances 3 1/2 & nose
Fav 2 Red Jade 9/4 (4th)
Tote
Win £15.60
Places £2.50 £1.80 £2.10
Exacta £90.00
CSF £65.75
Tricast £422.89
Time 2' 16.21"

4:30 Handicap 6f

1st 15 Dickie Le Davoir 11/1
2nd 9 Red Cape 10/1
3rd 5 Eton Rifles 15/8 fav
13 Ran Nrs 7 & 10
Distances 2 & 1/2
Fav third
Tote
Win £9.30
Places £2.50 £3.50 £1.40
Exacta £56.10
CSF £111.32
Tricast £301.66
Time 1' 17.66"

5:00 Maiden Stakes 1m 4f 8yds

1st 4 Times Up 5/2
2nd 3 Gibb River 6/5 fav
6 Ran
Distances 7
Fav second
Tote
Win £3.10
Places £1.70 £1.40
Exacta £5.90
CSF £5.51
Time 2' 41.92"

5:30 Handicap 1m 4yds

1st 7 Cheam Forever 12/1
2nd 1 Miss Sophisticat 4/1
3rd 3 Hilltop Artistry 8/1
9 Ran
Distances 1 1/2 & 2 1/2
Fav 5 Hey Up Dad 3/1 (4th)
Tote
Win £14.30
Places £3.70 £1.70 £2.70
Exacta £64.20
CSF £58.82
Tricast £412.45
Time 1' 46.90"