Pontefract Course Guide
The West Yorkshire course hosts racing throughout the summer including four Listed contests of which the Pontefract Castle Stakes is arguably the seasonal highlight.
Run over a mile and a half, the race has been won by some useful horses since its inception in 2005, most notably Brown Panther, who scored in 2012 and 2013 before going on to prove himself a very smart horse with wins in the Goodwood Cup, Irish St Leger and Dubai Gold Cup.
Other important races run at the Yorkshire track include the Pipalong Stakes, a one-mile event for fillies and mares, the Pomfret Stakes, run over a mile for three-year-olds and older and the Silver Tankard Stakes, a one-mile race for two-year-olds in October.
Advance Going
Left handed, with considerable gradients and a stiff, uphill finish. The emphasis is more on stamina than speed courtesy of the final three furlongs; as such, in-running punters should be wary of those who go for home a long way out. On very testing going, the jockeys occasionally race wide in search of better ground, swinging across to the stand side in the straight.
You have to be aware when you’re on a keen horse at Pontefract that, whether you go to post to the left or right, it’s downhill all the way to the start. Wise local punters often go down to the 1f marker to watch their fancy for that very reason. The track itself is incredibly stiff, a proper test, and being on the inside is a massive advantage. There’s a temptation to come wide, which can be a good move in soft ground, but, when it’s quick, you’re best to sit and suffer. Stamina there is always at a premium.
View from the saddle: Jason Weaver
Results
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Distance Horse (Going) Date Winning time 5f 3y Russet Gold (Good to Firm) 14 Aug 2022 1m 1.19s 6f Rare Change (Good) 22 Jun 2025 1m 13.71s 1m 6y Make Me King (Good) 27 Jul 2025 1m 41.31s 1m 2f 5y Waldkonig (Good to Firm) 06 Apr 2021 2m 9.81s 1m 4f 5y Allonsy (Good) 22 Jun 2025 2m 33.68s 2m 1f 27y Queen Of Steel (Good) 09 Jun 2025 3m 43.36s 2m 2f 2y Captain Potter (Good) 22 Jun 2025 3m 56.64s 2m 5f 139y Wemyss Point (Good to Firm) 19 Apr 2021 4m 55.29s -
Trainer Runners Wins Prize Money Strike-Rate P/L T D Easterby 203 24 £125K 11.82% -£58.00 R A Fahey 110 14 £110K 12.73% -£19.98 C Johnston 83 14 £85K 16.87% -£11.59 K R Burke 57 12 £125K 21.05% £2.45 G Boughey 37 12 £128K 32.43% £20.13 P T Midgley 89 11 £49K 12.36% £28.25 W J Haggas 27 11 £80K 40.74% £7.11 M & D Easterby 97 9 £36K 9.28% -£69.30 R M Beckett 32 9 £114K 28.13% -£9.82 Mrs R Carr 53 9 £45K 16.98% £31.92 -
Jockey Runners Wins Prize Money Strike-Rate P/L D Tudhope 89 20 £199K 22.47% -£26.95 D Allan 120 15 £75K 12.5% -£45.25 Rossa Ryan 37 13 £80K 35.14% £11.28 O J Orr 93 12 £104K 12.9% -£15.73 Jason Hart 117 10 £51K 8.55% -£60.47 Connor Beasley 80 10 £57K 12.5% £11.58 Joanna Mason 74 10 £43K 13.51% -£33.67 D Nolan 68 10 £65K 14.71% £5.00 Callum Rodriguez 50 10 £82K 20% £12.24 Sean Kirrane 42 10 £65K 23.81% £59.25
Address & Contact
Pontefract Park Race Co. Ltd
Administration Offices
Pontefract Park
Park Road
Pontefract
West Yorkshire
WF8 4QD
01977 781307
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