It’s ‘Irish Day’ at Wetherby on St. Patrick’s Day – the only meeting this week in the county, coming at the end of The Cheltenham Festival. There’s a free half pint of Guinness to the first 100 racegoers through the ‘Irish’ marquee in the Paddock Enclosure. Irish Band, ‘Ceilidh House’ along with traditional Irish dancers provide the musical entertainment, while the giant screen situated opposite the main stands will enable racegoers to follow even more of the action.
The feature races are The Betfair Handicap Chase, a £14,000 contest for stayers over three miles and one furlong, The St. Patrick’s Day Novices’ Chase and The John Carbert 60th Birthday Celebrations Handicap Hurdle (both over the extended two and a half miles).
Contact: GRAHAM ORANGE Tel: 01937 580051
02 March 2007 PONTEFRACT SET FOR 2007
Pontefract’s 2007 season, which begins on Tuesday, April 10, offers prize money in excess of £1 million for the fifth successive year and includes a new Listed race at the July Sunday meeting. Once again, the principal race throughout the 16-day campaign will have prize money of at least £15,000.
Admission prices into all enclosures remain the same as last year and the popular giant totesport screen will be at every meeting providing racegoers with an even better view of the action on the track along with racing from the ‘away’ meetings. There will be an extra screen at the three Sunday fixtures and the trio of evening meetings. The full-colour racecard each day remains at £2.
Totesport, in conjunction with totepool, continue to be Pontefract’s main race sponsors, supporting a couple of Listed races – The Pontefract Castle Stakes (Sunday, June 24) and The Silver Tankard Stakes (Monday, October 22) – both ‘totesport days’. In addition, totesport sponsor The Youngsters Conditions Stakes for two-year-olds as part of the fund-raising activities for the famous Grimethorpe Colliery Band on Friday evening, May 25, who will be playing during the evening.
Most of Pontefract’s existing sponsors (including The European Breeders’ Fund) are returning to support the racing programme in 2007, while new race sponsors this year include UK Coal (who support a handicap race over one mile and a quarter on Tuesday, July 10) and The Yorkshire Society, who put their name to a handicap contest over one mile and a half on Sunday, July 29 – a date which sees the introduction of the new Listed race over one mile. This brings the number of Listed races at Pontefract to an all-time high of five.
As well as the totesport days and the three ‘Family Sundays’ (June 24, July 29 & August 19), the other ‘theme’ days during the season include the 18th annual Northern Racing College Charity Day (Wednesday, May 2); ‘Irish Night’ (Monday evening, June 11); ‘Ladies Day’ (Monday, July 2); ‘Red Shirt Night’ (Friday evening, July 20) and Trinidad & Tobago Day (Monday, October 8).
The richest race of the year continues to be The Slatch Farm Stud Flying Fillies’ Stakes on Sunday, August 19. This £50,000 Listed race for fillies and mares, over the sprint distance of six furlongs, was won last year by Indian Maiden who, the following Sunday, landed a Group 3 race at Deauville in France.
Other notable winners last season at Pontefract include Hellvelyn, successful in The Youngsters Stakes in May, before going on to win the Group 2 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot for Hambleton (North Yorkshire) trainer Bryan Smart. Formal Decree recorded a couple of victories at Pontefract last year, prior to his success in the £150,000 totesport Cambridgeshire Heritage Handicap Stakes at Newmarket for Alan Swinbank, who trains near Richmond in North Yorkshire. Sweet Lilly took The totesport.com Silver Tankard Stakes on the final day of the season to advertise her claims for big race honours this year.
The Pontefract Stayers’ Championship, which incorporates all eight races for stayers during the season (i.e. races of at least two miles) continues for the fourth year. The owner and trainer combination of Keith Middleton and Brian Ellison provided the top two horses in last year’s competition, with Mister Arjay and Great As Gold both at the head of affairs with 18 points each. Mister Arjay was the winner based on placings obtained. A points system operates based on placings obtained and appearances throughout the competition (similar to that of the betfair.com Pontefract Apprentice Series). The owner, trainer and stable staff of the horse accumulating the most number of points each receive a memento and £1,000 presented on the final day of the season in October.
It’s the 21st year of The Pontefract Apprentice Series which began in 1987 and the leading sports betting exchange company, Betfair, support this five-race series for the sixth time. Tolley Dean has won this competition for the last two years, becoming the first young rider to win it twice. The prize for the series’ winner is a working holiday at Gulfstream Park, Miami in the care of trainer, Carl Nafzger.
Michael Jarvis and Kevin Darley (both with six winners) were Pontefract’s leading trainer and jockey last season, taking the Yorkshire Racing Club awards. Robert Winston also rode half a dozen winners, but Darley recorded more second places.
Work on the extension of the Dalby Stand began in November to replace the wooden Entertainment Suite. The completion date is June 1 and it is hoped that the new private boxes will be in use at the Friday evening meeting on May 25. It will bring the total of private boxes to 18 in the overall Dalby Stand facility. The overall cost of this latest work is £1.25 million, funded by a Levy Board interest-free loan of £900,000.
The hostel for stable staff has been re-decorated, while the toilet and shower facilities have been upgraded. There’s an improved water supply to the saddling boxes and horse showers, while both the Champagne and Riders Bars have been re-decorated.
Contact: NORMAN GUNDILL Tel: 01977 781307 /
GRAHAM ORANGE Tel: 01937 580051
26 February 2007 YORKSHIRE MEDIA BULLETIN
A brief summary of meetings
WEEK COMMENCING SATURDAY MARCH 3
Wednesday March 7 – CATTERICK (2-20 pm)
Catterick’s 2006/07 Jumping season comes to an end with seven races today at the North Yorkshire course. Several races are sponsored in support of The Hunt Staff Benefit Society, which provides pensions and annuities for those currently or formerly employed in the Hunt service, while The John Wade Skip Hire Novices’ Hunters’ Chase is held over the extended three miles and one furlong.
The giant totesport screen will be in use and there’s a parade of hounds on the track in front of the stands after the second race.
Contact: GRAHAM ORANGE Tel: 01937 580051
29 January 2007 YORKSHIRE MEDIA BULLETIN
A brief summary of meetings
WEEK COMMENCING SATURDAY FEBRUARY 3
Saturday February 3 – WETHERBY (1-20 pm)
Today’s seven-race programme over Jumps at Wetherby is a quality card, featuring a couple of Grade 2 races for rising stars of the Jumping game – both over hurdles and fences. The totepool Towton Novices’ Chase (a contest for top staying novice chasers) and The Brit Insurance Novices’ Hurdle are complemented by The totesport Handicap Chase (extended two and a half miles) and the north’s first Hunter Chase of 2007 – The Wilmot-Smith Memorial Cup.
Previous winners of the Towton Novices’ Chase include horses of the calibre of Ollie Magern, Royal Emperor, Keen Leader, Escartifigue and Mr. Mulligan (the 1997 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner), while last year’s winner, Halcon Geneladais has already distinguished himself this season by recently winning The Welsh National at Chepstow.
The giant totesport screen will enable racegoers to enjoy even more of the action on the track, along with the big races from Sandown Park. Musical entertainment is provided by ‘Brass 85’.
The giant totesport screen will enable racegoers to follow all of the action.
Contact: GRAHAM ORANGE Tel: 01937 580051
22 January 2007 YORKSHIRE MEDIA BULLETIN
A brief summary of meetings
WEEK COMMENCING SATURDAY JANUARY 27
Friday February 2 – CATTERICK (1-20 pm)
Catterick’s meeting today is a seven-race programme over Jumps, the feature contests being The Marne Handicap Chase (two miles, three furlongs) and a Handicap Hurdle race for stayers over the extended three miles, one furlong. There’s also a qualifying race in The European Breeders Fund Novices’ Hurdle Series, in which the first four horses in the race will be eligible to compete the £60,000 Final of this national series at Sandown Park in March.
The giant totesport screen will enable racegoers to follow all of the action.
Contact: GRAHAM ORANGE Tel: 01937 580051
15 January 2007 YORKSHIRE MEDIA BULLETIN
A brief summary of meetings
WEEK COMMENCING SATURDAY JANUARY 20
Wednesday January 24 – CATTERICK (1-10pm)
The Weatherbys Bank North Yorkshire Grand National – a Handicap Chase for stayers over three and three-quarter miles with prize money of £10,000 – heads a seven-race programme at Catterick this afternoon. Last year’s race was won by Prince Of Slane, trained at nearby Melsonby by Alan Swinbank.
The Richmond Beginners’ Chase and The Book On-Line At catterickbridge.co.uk Handicap Hurdle (both contested over two miles and three furlongs are also featured today.
The giant totesport screen, situated opposite the main stands, will enable racegoers to enjoy the action even more.
