07:43 No surprise to say it has been dry overnight and the same is forecast for today.

The official going is Good to Firm over the final six furlongs and Good to Firm, Firm in places over the remainder. The going stick reading at 06:45 was 8.9

There has been "extensive" watering with 45mm having been applied since Friday.

There is temporary dolling in place over the last 6f as a result safety figures are affected for races over 5f and races over 2m. The temporary rail is 12ft from original running rail.

There are currently two non-runners and racing gets underway at 14:30.

09:06 We have a few more non-runners, details on the right.

13:03 Good afternoon from Pontefract where the weather is overcast. We currently have eight non-runners, full details on the right.

Racing gets underway at  14:30.

14:19 Our opening contest is the Dianne Nursery, a six furlong contest in which five go to post.

They all looked relaxed in the parade ring.

14:44 Majestic Myles was sent off the 4/9 favourite in this opening contest but if you had a substantial investment on the jolly then you would be a nervous wreck by the end of the contest.

The favourite broke well but was soon joined by Alfraamsy and Loves Theme, indeed by half way he had bee relegated to fourth spot with only the tardy Witzend behind.

As they turned for home a gap appeared and Paul Hanagan bought the favourite to the front and it looked as though the money was in the pocket.

However he made hard work of it. As Majestic Myles struggled up the run-in Witzend ran on like a scalded cat and looked to be in serious danger of overhauling the jolly.

Fortunately the line came just in time for Majestic Myles supporters and he crossed the line a very fast diminishing neck clear of Witzend.

14:51 Race two is the Yorkshire Racing Summer Festival Handicap a 1¼ mile contest with eight going to post.

15:16 We seem to be developing a trend here, OK we have only had two races but both have been won by the favourite, both ridden by Paul Hanagan and both won by a diminishing neck.

This time the winner was Monkton Vale and the only difference this time were the tactics as Hanagan set out to virtually make all, hitting the front after the first furlong and keeping in front.

Epic led the chasers for most of the contest but nobody, apart from Jamie Spencer on Sadler’s Mark, seemed to want to harry the leader.

It was only inside the final furlong that Patrick Donaghy launched River Ardeche with a late challenge and as in the last was closing on the favourite as the line approached.

15:24 Race three is the 5f Harworth Estates Handicap, with eight going to post.

Song Of Parkes and Flouncing went to post early so I did not get a chance to see them.

15:43 Well three out of three for Hanagan and for favourite backers, although no chance of a “perfect seven” as his intended mount in the next is a non-runner.

As in the last he made all on Perfect Blossom and although the the runner-up, Jack Luey was closing this was the most comfortable win of the three, with the winner recording a ¾ length victory.

Leleyf was with the leader in the early stages but faded after half way eventually beating only one home.

The runner-up was settled in fourth place for most of the contest before making progress in the closing stages.

15:52 Race four is our feature contest the one mile Weatherbys Bank Pipalong Stakes a Listed contest for fillies and mares. Nine go to post.

16:14 Well finally some joy for the bookmakers as odds-on shot Flora Trevelyan is only able to finish fourth in the feature.

It looked good for favourite backers as the Walter Swinburn jolly took over the lead from Just Lille as they lined up for home and she looked best of all.

However as they came inside the furlong marker the cavalry charged and Tropical Paradise looked to be a very serious threat. Not only did tropical paradise look a danger but Please Sing also ran on well to lead.

However her lead turned out to be short lived as Off Chance, ponied to the start, came from last to first to grab a three-quarter length victory.

Please Sing came home second with Tropical Paradise third and the jolly fourth.

Good Again came fifth under what can only be described as a gentle Haley Turner finish, she may not have won but could arguably have finished fourth.

16:24 Race five and Paul Hanagan’s final ride here before he shoots off to Southwell, is the six furlong King Richard III Handicap with nine runners over 6f.

Nothing significant to report in the parade ring although a few of them seem to have every possible bit of equipment to concentrate their minds.

16:47 Well there was to be no four timer for Paul Hanagan as Green Manalishi was unsighted in this contest and he now heads to the A1 for five rides at Southwell this evening.

There was also little joy for favourite backers in this contest either as Tangerine Trees, leading halfway, could only come home fourth.

Victory went to hat-trick seeking Cornus, who seems to have found a rich vein of form recently. Settled towards the rear for the early exchanges, James Doyle took a handy position in fourth as they lined up for home.

Approaching the final furlong it looked to be between Red Cape, Gertmegalush and the favourite but inside the distance Doyle launched Cornus with a late charge to record a length and a half victory, our biggest winning margin of the afternoon so far.

Red Cape took second spot with Gertmegalush a further length back in third.

16:55 Our longest race of the day and biggest field as 11 line up for the 1½ mile Book At Pontefract-races.co.uk Maiden Stakes.

17:15 It may have been a mile and a half contest but The Queen’s Fascination tried to make all and by half way had her rivals well strung out.

Even down the home straight she still had a good lead with Frankie Dettori on Charming Man looking the only challenger but a good few length in arrears.

Richard Hills on Lajidaal was lurking in third shot on the well backed Marcus Tregonning trained runner.

Hills launched a run approaching the furlong pole and the writing was on the wall as he swept past the royal runner, who was unable to respond.

Lajidaal came home 2¾ lengths clear of the long time leader.

Dettori was third on Charming Man a further 4½ lengths in arrears.

17:24 Our final contest is the one mile Red Shirt Night On Friday 16th July Handicap, which sees our smallest field as five go to post.

17:42 This final contest wasn’t a race, it was a procession.

Vito Volterra pinged out of the stalls and led from the start and never looked to be in any danger.

Director General and Danceintotehlight tracked with favourite Dutiful and Sixties Rock, who was slowly away, a few length behind.

That was pretty much the order for most of the contest.

As they turned for home Director General quickly dropped out of contention, thankfully for our missing photograph.

Lining up for home Michael Stainton kicked Vito Volterra further clear and nothing was able to go with him and he came home an eased 3¾ length winner.

If the winner was obvious from some way out the same could not be said for the runners-up spot as Dutiful and Danceintothelight had a dour battle to the line, with the favourite eventually getting the call by a head.

17:47 Well that’s it from Pontefract, where we have had a reasonable afternoon’s fare.

We even, briefly, had some wet stuff falling from the sky – something we could do with back down south.

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

Non-runners

14:30
4 Azzurra Du Caprio (not eaten up - SC 10:18)

15:00
7 Holiday Cocktail (stiff - VC 08:55)

16:00
1 Black Dahlia (not sound - VC 10:00)

17:00
9 Out Of Eden (going - 08:48)
10 Sharakti (going - 07:17)

17:30
5 Battle Study (going - 07:17)
6 Nurai (in season - SC 08:41)
8 Paphos (travel - 11:59)

Results

14:30 Nursery 6f

15:00 Handicap 1m 2f 6yds

15:30 Handicap 5f

16:00 Listed Stakes 1m 4f

16:30 Handicap 6f

17:00 Maiden Stakes 1m 4f 8yds

17:30 Handicap 1m 4yds