Pontefract Racecourse

Key Characteristics

Pontefract is a racecourse for the enthusiast rather than the race goer looking for a wonderful view or great facilities.

Pontefract Racecourse is a two mile left handed course. The last three furlongs of which are up hill making Pontefract one of the most testing finishes in the country. The key to Pontefract is to have your horse prominent coming off the final bend. This is because after the finish of the bend there is only 2 furlongs or so left up the home straight for any horses that has been held up to get going and get past the prominent horses. All too often you will see fast finishing horses at Pontefract who just didn’t quite make it.

The course is also quite undulating which often doesn’t suite larger galloping types.

A good test of stamina you can often put 1/2f on to the trip at Pontefract (ie your horse has done well at 7f elsewhere then 6f might suite at Pontefract).

Draw bias and pace analysis

There appears to be little draw bias at Pontefract mainly because the key to winning is to be quickly away (particularly over 5f & 6F) and be either at the front or prominent coming off the bend. Being at the back makes life very difficult and it is rare to see hold up horses win particularly over the shorter distances.

Over 5f the pace rating is 6/31 in favour of front runners and over 6f it is 7/29.

Over the 1m the draw comes a little more into play with low numbers favoured (particularly in the soft) in larger fields. This is because if you are drawn wide it is quite difficult to get a decent position before making the turn and therefore have to race wide (racing further than your rivals) or drop back and therefore get stuck at the back which is a major issue.

Over 1m it is possible to come from behind but the rating is still in favour of the front runners being 13/30.

However over 2m 1f the whole thing turns on it’s head and it is now really difficult for the front runner to hold on. Mainly this is due to the fact that the horses will all be a lot more tired and the testing finish can therefore play it’s part.

Trainers & Jockeys

Sir Michael Stoute, Ron Whitaker, Mick Channon, Mark Johnston, Richard Fahey and Tim Easterby

Silvester DeSousa, Franny Norton, Joe Fanning, David Allan, Paul Hanagan and Daniel Tudhope

[bs-social-share style=”button-no-text” colored=”1″ sites=”facebook,twitter,google_plus,reddit,whatsapp,pinterest,email,linkedin,stumbleupon” title=”Share” show_title=”1″ icon=”” heading_color=”” heading_style=”default” bs-show-desktop=”1″ bs-show-tablet=”1″ bs-show-phone=”1″ bs-text-color-scheme=”” css=”” custom-css-class=”” custom-id=””]