PONTEFRACT RACES are run by PONTEFRACT PARK RACE COMPANY LIMITED, a company registered in England No. 159754 whose address within Great Britain is The Administration Office, Pontefract Park, Park Road, Pontefract, West Yorkshire WF8 4QD.
Welcome to another blog from the team at Pontefract Racecourse.
Every fortnight, someone from the team will share their thoughts for your entertainment (or otherwise!):
Managing Director, Norman Gundill with his trusty PA, Caroline who also looks after the hospitality,
Accounts Manager, Nicola,
Admin manager, Carol,
Marketing exec, Alexia, and,
Chief Operating Officer, Richard who is writing this blog.
Pontefract aside, one of the best Racecourses in the country, and possibly the world, is York Racecourse.
While the National Hunt purists have the Cheltenham Festival, the Ebor Festival is often regarded as one of the best festivals in the flat racing calendar with both avid racegoers and socialites mixing on the Knavesmire.
York is quite rightly put on a pedestal with some wonderful facilities and excellent service. If you have not visited the area before, it is well worth adding to the bucket list as not only does the course put on a fantastic spectacle, but the beautiful city comes alive with racegoers continuing their days out well into the evening.
With a small break in the racing schedule at Pontefract, the office team were able to take a well deserved break and have a day out on Wednesday to see some of the greatest thoroughbreds in training battle on the York turf. A day at the races is something of a ‘busman’s holiday’ but it’s hugely important for us to visit other places, see what’s happening elsewhere and pick up examples of best practice that we might be able to bring back to Pontefract. We had a brilliant day out and it was fantastic to see so many people enjoying the sport and all that it offers.
The racing itself was brilliant as always but, as the industry continues to face it’s own battles, we, like many others in the industry, were disappointed to see small fields for the Group races. With one million pounds worth of prize money on offer, it was particularly sad to see a field of just 4 horses line up for the Juddmonte International. Despite a wonderful initial entry, opposition to the new wonderhorse, Paddington, began to drop out one by one and it was left to John and Thady Gosden’s Mostahdaf to provide the sternest test. And, under the inimitable Frankie Dettori, he saw off the young pretender in scintillating fashion. It begs the question as to how good the Japanese horse, Equinox , must be as he had the subsequent Juddmonte winner 7 lengths behind him without being asked for maximum effort.
It was good to see the team from New Beginnings also out in force at the track with their wonderful team of Racehorse Ambassadors (including our own Nico – Nearly Caught) on hand to greet the racegoers. If you’re going to York on Friday, keep an eye out for our very own Alexia, who will be helping out on the New Beginnings stand and will happily sell you some raffle tickets or Christmas cards!
Welcome to another blog from the team at Pontefract Racecourse.
Every fortnight, someone from the team will share their thoughts for your entertainment (or otherwise!):
Managing Director, Norman Gundill with his trusty PA, Caroline who also looks after the hospitality,
Accounts Manager, Nicola,
Admin manager, Carol,
Marketing exec, Alexia, and,
Chief Operating Officer, Richard (who is writing today’s blog)
LADIES DAY AT PONTEFRACT
The glitz and glamour returned to Pontefract on Wednesday as the course hosted their annual Ladies Day. Stilettoes, hats and fascinators were the order of the as the Ladies of Yorkshire dressed to impress to be in with a chance of winning the coveted Best Dressed Lady competition for an amazing prize of an all-inclusive holiday to the fantastic RIU Dubai resort. The first 500 racegoers through the Premier Enclosure entrance were greeted with a glass of bubbly to kick start their day.
The Best Dressed competitions took place before racing and the Heart Angels were on hand to pick 100 Ladies and 50 Gents for their respective finals. It was the eighth year RIU Hotels & Resorts have sponsored the Best Dressed competitions and they provided yet another spectacular prize for our winning Lady and Runner Up. Around 100 ladies took to the Parade Ring in the hope of claiming the big prize and it was Charlotte Hall who took the crown.
The opening race on the card was the 1m2f Solutions 4 Cleaning Handicap for gentleman amateur riders which featured a renewal of rivalry between Dogged and Just Hiss who had fought out a pulsating finish at Beverley earlier in the month. On that occasion, Dogged had forged out the win but, different day, different track, and Just Hiss took his revenge under 17 year old, Thomas Easterby, trained by his father Tim. Appreciating the renowned stiff finish, the winner stayed on strongly to beat his brother, Will, who was on board his Uncle Mick’s ‘Contrast’. A real family affair!
There were two divisions of the 6f Maiden and former champion jockey, Ryan Moore, made the long trip north for two rides – one in each of these races. Things got off to the perfect start as he partnered Kevin Ryan’s Royal Zabeel to a facile 7½ length success. The winner is well regarded by the Hambleton trainer and is expected to go on to better things. Moore was aboard the well fancied Point Given for Sir Michael Stoute in the second division but he could only manage 4th place behind a couple of exciting looking juveniles. Charlie Johnston’s Saint Matthew made a bold bid from the front on his racecourse debut but was overhauled in the closing stages by Richard Fahey’s Ajwadi who, with the benefit of racecourse experience, put his head in front at the right time.
One of the feature races of the day was the 2m Napoleons Casino Bradford Handicap. With 5 course winners amongst the competitors, it looked like a great race on paper and the reality did not disappoint. Punters made Charlie Johnston’s Yorkindness the favourite and the support was well founded with Joe Fanning steering the filly to a hard fought ½ length victory over El Borracho, maintaining her 100% record at the track. It was Fanning’s only ride on the card but gave him his 4th victory at the track in 2023.
The RIU Hotels Veteran’s handicap is open to horses aged 6 years or older. 11 well known names lined up over the 1m trip with Mick Appleby’s Motawaafeq coming out on top with a battling victory – repelling all challenges. In a similar vein, Paul Midgley’s Van Gerwen rolled back the years when taking the FBS Chartered Accountants Handicap under Cam Hardie, recording his 4th course and distance victory in the process.
With many winners coming from near the pace, there was a deluge of money for Tracy Waggott’s front running Ghathanfar in the final race and he set a scorching pace from the outset. However, in a complete reversal of the day’s form, Michael Dod’s Emily Post came from last to first under a brilliant ride from Callum Rodriguez. Apparently difficult to settle, the 4 year old looked a completely different proposition this time and can progress if her wayward tendencies are behind her.
The next race meeting at Pontefract is the final Family Day of the year on Sunday 20th August. There will be the usual array of family filled entertainment and tickets are selling fast for the event. Racegoers are encouraged to book online in advance to avoid disappointment.
Welcome to another blog from the team at Pontefract Racecourse.
Every fortnight, someone from the team will share their thoughts for your entertainment (or otherwise!):
Managing Director, Norman Gundill with his trusty PA, Caroline who also looks after the hospitality,
Accounts Manager, Nicola,
Admin manager, Carol,
Marketing exec, Alexia, and,
Chief Operating Officer, Richard
In today’s blog we thought we take a look at the runners in the Listed Race here on Sunday …
The Listed SkyBet Pomfret Stakes is taking place on Sunday 30th July, staged over a mile, with six horses entered. There’s just 6lbs between the highest and lowest rated and it looks to be a fiercely competitive race.
A ‘Listed’ race at Class 1 level is the highest quality race that we stage at Pontefract and we have 5 of these races throughout the season. A Listed race sits below the standard of a Group 1, Group 2 and Group 3 race, but is classified as being of a higher standard than a handicap and we often see some classy performers competing. As a general guide, a ‘Listed’ standard horse has an average rating of 100. With all horses entered to run on Sunday being rated between 103 and 109, it looks like to be a good quality renewal.
Last year’s winner Alflaila, trained by Owen Burrows, is the current title holder. He won the 2022 renewal under Jim Crowley showing a serious turn of foot when turning for home leaving the rest of the field behind. The Shadwell bred colt went on to win two group three races following success at Pontefract, taking the Strensall Stakes atYork and the Darley Stakes at Newmarket. He makes his return to the track this weekend at York in the SkyBet York Stakes and will no doubt be looking to resume his winning streak. He now is rated 116 which shows the quality of winner that this race can produce.
Shadwell have another representative this year with Al Mubhir. Trainer William Haggas is, however, looking for his first win in the race. The son of Frankel won a £50,000 feature race at Leicester earlier in the season, winning well under William Buick. He was third on his last trip out in a Listed Race at Haydock. Tom Marquand takes the ride on Sunday.
Poker Face, is unbeaten at Ponte and will be looking for his third success at the track. Winning on debut here last September for Simon and Ed Crisford, it was soon followed by another win here in October. This season he made an impressive effort in the Earl of Sefton Stakes at Newmarket to finish second behind Godolphin’s Ottoman Fleet and more recently on his last run was again second in a Listed Race at Sandown.
Royal Ascot winner Witch Hunterwill also be lining up. The winner of the Buckingham Place Stakes at the Royal meeting saw him beat a field of 29 runners to out run his odds of 50/1 and land jockey Jamie Spencer his first win at Royal Ascot since 2018. The duo will be hoping for further success this season for trainer Richard Hannon.
The highest rated runner in the field is George Boughey’s Raadobarg. Just behind Poker Face at Newmarket, he ran a stormer to finish 3rd to Chindit at Ascot. Boughey is currently the joint leading trainer at Ponte in 2023 and will be keen to get another winner on the board.
Yorkshire based horse Flight Plan is the only youngster in the field at 3 years old. Being younger than the rest, the conditions of the race mean that he carries less weight than his opponents. He ran in the Group 1 2000 Guineas earlier in the season and so is clearly well thought of by Karl Burke.
Archie Watson’s Excel Power,completes the field. Despite being the lower rated, he’s no slouch and has already won 8 races in his career.
It looks like a fascinating race and we’re really looking forward to it. Opinion in the Ponte office is divided and the tips of the team are below:
This week’s blog is written by Charlotte Russell, General Manager of Go Racing in Yorkshire –
The Go Racing In Yorkshire Summer Festival, Sponsored By Sky Bet
One of the strengths of the nine racecourses in Yorkshire is their ability to collaborate with each other. Whether that’s sharing learning and experiences, asking one another for advice or simply celebrating together, there is a real #TeamYorkshire ethos.
While much of this collaboration happens in the office, it is outwardly open for all to see during the last week of July whenThe Go Racing In Yorkshire Summer Festival, sponsored by Sky Bettakes place. There’s racing at eight of the nine flat courses over a period of eight days where festival fever will hit them all and it starts at Pontefract on Friday 21st July.
A new start date for 2023, Pontefract’s evening meeting is part of their Friday night music nights and Dreams of Fleetwood Mack will be performing after racing – the music adding to the festival feel. They are also hosting a beer festival, making it the perfect launch for our beer of the festival, HoofBeat, a light amber coloured, crisp, clean, aromatic session bitter made from Barley malt grown on the Yorkshire Wolds and brewed by Hunmanby based Wold Top. You will find this beer at all the meetings during the festival week.
Before racing starts, you can catch the human athletes of the meeting taking part in a football skills competition in the Parade Ring, it’s very competitive although the ability is mixed! They would love your encouragement so don’t miss this opportunity to see who will get an early position on the leader board.
Other competitions throughout the week are the leading trainer of the week, sponsored by Goldsborough Halland the leading jockey of the week sponsored by Sky Bet, who also offer a prize for the yard that wins the most best turned out horse awards in the Sky Bet sponsored races. There’s £1,000 to share between the staff and we’ll be arranging a pizza van to visit the winning yard for a celebration.
The Summer Festival week always supports a charity and this year the Injured Jockeys Fund are the recipients. The team from Jack Berry House in Malton will be present across the courses to talk about the wonderful work they do in preparing and rehabilitating the human participants and will be raising funds by selling raffle tickets to win a fabulous prize of a table for four at York’s meeting on Saturday 23rd September.
You can also visit Jack Berry House in Malton, between 2pm and 4pm on Tuesday, July 25, when there is no racing in the county. A fantastic opportunity to see the facilities, meet the staff and learn more about the running and funding of the centre.
Don’t miss the racecard competition to win a Go Racing In Yorkshire season ticket for the 2024/25 season. You will find a ‘passport’ on the back of the racecard at Pontefract. Get it stamped at the racecard selling outlet and take it with you to the other Yorkshire meetings you attend during the festival week to claim your stamps. Once you have received five stamps you can enter the prize draw.
The Go Racing In Yorkshire Summer Festival is the perfect opportunity to showcase everything that racing in Yorkshire has to offer. Made up from a mix of afternoon and evening fixtures, there are three music nights, with The Human League and Craig David performing at York on the final days of the festival.
Redcar, Catterick and Thirsk are all hosting family days when there’s additional entertainment for the children as well as the racing to get excited about.
It’s a week that covers every type of racing too! The next round of The Go Racing In Yorkshire Future Stars Apprentice series, supported by White Rose Saddlery, takes place at Redcar on Sunday, July 23 – a race specifically for the least experienced jockeys who are learning their trade. Prior to racing they will walk the course with a jockey coach, who will then watch the race with the jockeys after the winning presentation has been made and debrief each rider about their performance.
The week finishes with a Group 2 race at York, the Sky bet York Stakes, where the jump jockeys even get in on the action with the Sky Bet ‘Jump Jockeys’ Nunthorpe’ Handicap Stakes. Usually riding over a minimum distance of 2 miles, their wit and sharp thinking will be tested by this charge over five furlongs.
Whatever your connection with racing, this is the week for you. Either a seasoned professional or a new racegoer, a regular across the Yorkshire courses or have them all to tick off, this is the perfect opportunity to visit the tracks and enjoy the sport.
Find out more by visiting the Go Racing In Yorkshire website.
Welcome to another blog from the team at Pontefract Racecourse.
Every fortnight, someone from the team will share their thoughts for your entertainment (or otherwise!):
Managing Director, Norman Gundill with his trusty PA, Caroline who also looks after the hospitality,
Accounts Manager, Nicola,
Admin manager, Carol,
Marketing exec, Alexia, and,
Chief Operating Officer, Richard (who is writing today’s blog)
Pontefract Racecourse is not only a Racecourse, but we’re a part of a busy and thriving community. It is important for us to not only offer a fantastic venue for the racing audience, but to be able to support and benefit some of the under represented groups in our area.
We have worked with racing based charities such as Racing Welfare and The Injured Jockeys Fund for several years, but have extended our community based work to groups in the local area who had no particular connection to the Racing Industry and who, perhaps, felt that the Racecourse and what it had to offer, was outside their scope.
We started working with the Into The Sky Theatre Company in 2016. They are a group of young adults with varied special education needs and they meet at the Racecourse each week for a music and drama workshop. Many of the students are based in and around Pontefract and, by using the Racecourse space, they are able to work towards putting on theatre performances throughout Wakefield and the five towns.
The group has a number of neurodivergent students as well as those with accessibility issues and many found themselves at a loss of what to do once they have finished their college courses. Allowing these young people to use a room at the Racecourse has given them the opportunity to thrive as well as celebrate and raise awareness of the creative talents of people with learning disabilities.
The Into The Sky Theatre Group are now an integral part of the Racecourse. Not only do they have a named race and a bucket collection to enable them to raise vital funds, they have been a huge help to the Racecourse in enabling us to upgrade our accessibility facilities – from giving feedback on viewing as well as what is expected of an accessible toilet. At our recent ‘Racing For Everyone’ raceday, we welcomed guests from Autism In Racing on site. They were able to meet some of the team members from Into The Sky to enable us to continue to improve and upgrade our facilities and understand what is needed.
We also have an annual Christmas party for the group and it’s truly one of the highlights of the year for the Admin team. The anticipation of their ever changing version of the Twelve Days of Christmas is truly something to behold.
We’ve also been able to introduce the group to horse racing as well! The majority had never been to a race meeting before but are now regulars at our family events, as well as the music nights where they’re able to take advantage of the dedicated accessible viewing areas that we have for these events. They were even filmed for the Sky Bet Sunday Series in 2022 and had their own slot on the ITV coverage of the race meeting.
The Into The Sky Group, and their sister group Cross The Sky , go from strength to strength and have performances booked later in the year at Wakefield Theatre Royal and Barnsley Civic. If you get the chance to see any of their shows, make sure to do so. You won’t be disappointed.
Welcome to another blog from the team at Pontefract Racecourse.
Every fortnight, someone from the team will share their thoughts for your entertainment (or otherwise!):
Managing Director, Norman Gundill with his trusty PA, Caroline who also looks after the hospitality,
Accounts Manager, Nicola,
Admin manager, Carol,
Marketing exec, Alexia, and,
Chief Operating Officer, Richard
Today we would like to introduce you to a new member of the Pontefract team – Nico!
Pontefract Racecourse are delighted to announce that former racehorse, Nearly Caught (known affectionately as Nico), is to become their first Racehorse Ambassador.
Earning just under £350,000 in prize money, Nearly Caught was a strong stayer who often competed over marathon trips. He won 4 races at Listed level and took the Group 2 Prix Kergolay at Deauville. Partial to a trip to France, he also finished an excellent third in the Group 1 Prix Du Cadran at Longchamp.
Nearly Caught is no stranger to Pontefract either. In 2015 he won the Phil Bull Trophy by an impressive 10 lengths – his biggest winning margin throughout his esteemed career!
Nico spent his racing career in Newbury with trainer Hughie Morrison for whom he ran 40 races. Starting in April 2013, he won on his debut at Windsor and continued his career up until September 2018 when he was retired from racing. He went out on a high with a Listed win at Newmarket under jockey Ryan Moore.
Nico now spends his retirement in Yorkshire with charity New Beginnings, based near York, founded by Kevin and Pam Atkinson. Speaking about Nearly Caught, they said:
‘Nico is an absolute gentleman at home. He loves lots of attention and enjoys nothing more than rolling in the field. We’re really excited to be teaming up with Pontefract Racecourse and to introducing Nico to their racegoers.’
Richard Hammill, Chief Operating Officer for Pontefract Racecourse said:
‘We pride ourselves on providing the highest level of equine welfare at Pontefract when racehorses visit the track. We are delighted to team up with New Beginnings and Nico to showcase the wonderful care that is given to thoroughbreds in the next stage of their career. We have been lucky enough to work with Pam and Kevin for many years and look forward to our racegoers getting to know Nico.’
Since his retirement, not only has Nico been out and about on the Racecourses, but he’s been putting his new skills to the test at dressage competitions. Given his career to date, it will come as no surprise, that he has achieved great results!
New Beginnings rehome and retrain former racehorses. Their mission statement is to provide a safe, supportive environment for former racehorses to adapt and learn new skills after they have finished their first career in racing. They support 25 different retired racehorses in their lives past the post. You can find out more about them, or rehoming a racehorse at https://nbhorses.org.uk/
Racegoers can get to know Nico at each of the family Sunday racedays at Pontefract in 2023. He’ll be visiting with his friend, Remy (who raced as Goldream) and can be found on the Marquee Site overlooking the Parade Ring.
Welcome to another blog from the team at Pontefract Racecourse.
Every fortnight, someone from the team will share their thoughts for your entertainment (or otherwise!):
Managing Director, Norman Gundill with his trusty PA, Caroline who also looks after the hospitality,
Accounts Manager, Nicola,
Admin manager, Carol,
Marketing exec, Alexia, and,
Chief Operating Officer, Richard (who is writing today’s blog)
Will AI change the future of horse racing?
I wear a few different hats at the Racecourse – Clerk of the Course and Chief Operating Officer as well as overseeing the Marketing, Brand and Sponsorship offering at the track. I try to keep track of new trends and developments in the racing world, while also keeping an eye on the broader aspects that the different sides of my role entails.
The marketing world is in continual development – especially when it comes to the digital offering. Once upon a time, the website was the primary digital space available to companies. Now, social media is constantly evolving. Not so long ago, MySpace seemed to be the only site that was available but this has quickly been overtaken with the likes of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, You Tube, TikTok, Snapchat, WhatsApp and Pinterest among many that are easily available to the general public. There’ll be many more derivatives of these sites to follow too in coming years and each will bring their own unique selling point.
The ‘new kid on the block’, perhaps most significant in terms of marketing, is undoubtedly ChatGPT. Artificial Intelligence (or AI) has been around for a while but the speed in which it has developed is frightening. I remember watching a film called ‘I,Robot’ which seemed to be a futuristic experiment that could never really be replicated in real life. Well the future is here! Many websites already have simplified versions of AI in the form of chatbots, who answer basic questions on behalf of the business who deployed them. With the dawning of ChatGPT, there is now huge potential for these to be able to solve most of the problems that the user has. Google and Bing have swiftly launched their own counterparts to ChatGPT and it’s wise to expect newer and more impressive versions to follow soon.
What does ChatGPT do? In the simplest terms, ChatGPT takes on the conversational skills of a person to solve a problem for the user. It uses learnings from all it’s previous conversations to improve the responses which ensures that it is always developing.
However, the data set that it uses currently only goes up to, and includes, 2021, and so there are errors on occasion. The site also does not have live access to the internet and so some of the results can be slightly outdated. The technology, while impressive, is somewhat basic and crude and it might not use the voice and tone that you would expect.
For example, this is the response that was generated when I asked how to book tickets.
However, as a prototype for a tool, the potential is enormous and will undoubtedly get bigger and better.
Will AI take over the future of horse racing?
I decided to ask ChatGPT just that. The response is here
While the algorithms are developing rapidly, there is still no way to predict what will win the 6.30pm at Ponte next week and so, from that point of view, human input will always be required. They’re unlikely to ever be able to ride or train a horse and put tactics in to play either. However, from a Clerking perspective, the Going Stick that is currently widely in use offers the first glimpse of technology in determining the state of the ground. It’s not such a huge leap of faith to imagine that one day in the future, AI will be used in turf care.
For now, the human touch is still required. But the future is not far away.
Welcome to another blog from the team at Pontefract Racecourse.
Every fortnight, someone from the team will share their thoughts for your entertainment (or otherwise!):
Managing Director, Norman Gundill with his trusty PA, Caroline who also looks after the hospitality,
Accounts Manager, Nicola,
Admin manager, Carol,
Marketing exec, Alexia, and,
Chief Operating Officer, Richard (who is writing today’s blog)
The Music Night Countdown
The countdown is well and truly on for the first of our music nights at Ponte (26th May).
It’s a busy, but slightly stressful, time for the team as we make sure that everything is in place. All Racecourses approach their music events from different viewpoints. But for us, with strict budget constraints, we try and cut out as many third parties as possible and, where we can, we deal directly with the artist(e)’s management team, arrange the stage directly with Event Equipment Hire and manage the sound and lighting production with John who knows the layout of the Racecourse well and knows the type of show that the audience respond to.
There is a huge amount of planning and preparation that goes on behind the scenes – with additional toilet facilities, bar marquees, extra furniture, new catering outlets, security planning meetings, back up generators, medical and veterinary requirements etc – no stone is left unturned.
Purist racegoers are often critical of racecourses who stage music events but, for us, we think that they provide a great way to introduce a new crowd to Pontefract. We’re very lucky to be so well supported by racegoers throughout Yorkshire and we want to be able to showcase the racecourse as both a corporate and a social venue so that these racegoers have us in mind when they are looking for options for days out with their family, or for somewhere to go with work colleagues or a destination that they might consider entertaining clients. By seeing the Racecourse host a music act, we hope that they might return to us at a later date with their friends. But the racing should always be the focus of the event. At Pontefract, it is not by accident that the music forms an arena around the Parade Ring where the equine stars take centre stage. When marketing the racecourse, I have always believed that no matter what the theme of the day, we should arrange attractions for the customer but must always keep the horse at the very heart of everything we do. You cannot get away from the main event stars, the horses, when you attend a music night with us.
As a child of the 80s, it will come as no surprise that I have quite a big part to play when it comes to choosing the musical choices each year! We’ve been lucky to welcome some really incredible acts over the years – Cheryl, Mike & Jay (formerly of Bucks Fizz), Bananarama, Belinda Carlisle, Billy Ocean and, last year, Sister Sledge. And this year it’s the turn of Kim Wilde. The youngest member of our team, Alexia, nods her head politely when we talk about the performers, most of whom were topping the charts well before she was born. It’ll be Alexia’s first experience of a music night at Pontefract – as a child of the 00s, perhaps we’ll let her choose the artists for 2024!
Welcome to another blog from the team at Pontefract Racecourse.
Every fortnight, someone from the team will share their thoughts for your entertainment (or otherwise!):
Managing Director, Norman Gundill with his trusty PA, Caroline who also looks after the hospitality,
Accounts Manager, Nicola,
Admin manager, Carol,
Marketing exec, Alexia, and,
Chief Operating Officer, Richard (who is writing today’s blog)
NATIONAL HORSERACING COLLEGE CHARITY DAY AT PONTEFRACT
Wednesday 3rd May marked the 34th running of the National Horseracing College Charity Day at Pontefract.
The National Horseracing College , based just outside Doncaster, was set up in 1984 and provides a range of courses at all levels for people who are looking at the horseracing industry as a future career. It also offers those currently in the business the chance to develop their qualifications and skills and provides the ideal opportunity to nurture the grass roots and future of the sport. On the 3rd May, we welcome several of the learners and instructors to the course to gain some hands on experience of a day at the races. Under the brilliant leadership of the Chief Executive, Colonel Padgett, there is no better place to learn for those who are wanting to get involved in the racing industry.
Fittingly, the Apprentices kicked proceedings off with the 3rd round of the Go Racing In Yorkshire Future Stars series. It was a special race in more ways than one with Reigning Profit making a little bit of Ponte history by becoming the first horse to win consecutive races at the track! He had won the final race at the previous race meeting and followed up in some style under Christian Howarth for trainer Ruth Carr . Once again, he was bounced out of the stalls and made all the running to win, going away, by 2 lengths. Have we got another Ponte specialist on our hands?
On the same card, there was finally something for Leeds United fans to cheer about when The Cookstown Cafu, who is named after Leeds United fan favourite Stuart Dallas, followed up his recent win at Redcar. Kevin Ryan’s winner looks as though he’s definitely one who’ll be stepping up to the premier league.
It was also fantastic to welcome local artist, James Owen Thomasback to Pontefract. James had been commissioned by the Racecourse to create 4 pieces of artwork for a recycling campaign in 2019, using materials that were destined for the bin. Using old racecourse badges, brochures and tickets etc, he created some wonderful artwork that can be seen at the Racecourse on a raceday.
As part of the celebrations for the Coronation of King Charles III, Great British Racing had commissioned a piece by James to highlight the Royal Family’s long standing engagement with the sport. One of the King’s big passions is sustainability, meaning that there was a fantastic opportunity for James to be involved in such a momentous occasion. We were honoured that James chose to unveil his new artwork at Pontefract and it was wonderful to welcome him and his family back to the course. His incredible art can be seen in Pateley Bridge, with this particular piece touring round a number of racecourses in the coming months.
This week we have a blog to bring you from the team at Experience Wakefield –
Explore Historic Pontefract
Pontefract is a charming historic market town, home to the picturesque ruins of one of England’s most important castles and, of course, Europe’s longest continuous flat racing circuit (ahem, you may already be aware of that one!). If you’re planning a trip to the races, you may want to stay a little while longer and explore some of the remarkable things to see and do in Pontefract.
A short drive from Pontefract Racecourse you’ll find Farmer Copleys, an award-winning farm shop and café that is definitely worth a visit. Experience field to fork goodness in the Moo Café and stock up on locally produced goodies in the well-stocked farm shop. Look out for special seasonal events such as the Strawberry Experience, Craft and Artisan Markets and Barn Dances to the magnificent annual Pumpkin Festival.
From its construction in 1070 to its demise following the Civil Wars, this once fearsome fortress earned itself the name ‘Key to the North’ thanks to its strategic position and importance in Yorkshire and beyond. Today, the castle is a place of family friendly adventure with historic ruins and dark dungeons to explore as well as magnificent views of the surrounding countryside from the top of the Keep. Don’t forget to pop into the Castle Coffee Shop for coffee and a light bite or a souvenir from the gift shop – the traditional Pontefract Cake is a firm favourite!
The beautiful Art Nouveau museum is home to a world of discovery, where liquorice and voting collide, and fascinating exhibitions celebrate the captivating stories of Pontefract, its people, and the history of its once mighty castle. Highlights include: The Ackworth Hoard (made up of 52 gold coins, 539 silver coins and a gold ring, all dating from the Civil War) and The Pontefract Gallery, which boasts the world’s first secret ballot box and a unique display of objects related to the town’s historic link with liquorice.
Shop till you drop in Pontefract town centre
Pontefract has a colourful marketplace, chock full of outstanding examples of Georgian architecture and winding medieval ginnels. Home to a superb indoor and outdoor market that sells anything from the best quality local produce to the latest fashion and vinyl, you’ll also find a delightful range of independent boutiques dotted around the town centre. A must see is the Magistrate’s Market, a treasure trove for antique and vintage shoppers selling mid-century modern furniture, vintage clothes, local Bagley’s glassware and classic Americana, there’s something for everyone. Head upstairs to Forever After– a collective of local creatives selling an eclectic range of hand-crafted gifts.
If the marketplace is a little busy for your taste and you’re looking for a peaceful haven, take a short walk down to Friarwood Valley Gardens, a site originally associated with the town’s medieval monastery. Nowadays the gardens feature stunning blossoms, a rose garden and historic pinhole camera. Look out for special events held at Friarwood Valley Gardens throughout the year.
After all of that exploring you may be ready to take the load off your feet and in need of some light refreshment. You are guaranteed a warm Yorkshire welcome at any of the town’s delectable food and drink venues, whether it’s a delicious afternoon tea in a quirky café, a classic cocktail in one the local heritage bars or a pint of locally brewed ale in a cosy pub. You’ll find plenty to choose from!
As well as interesting places to visit, Pontefract plays host to a year long programme of exciting festivals and events, here are a few coming up over the next few weeks:
Visit Pontefract Castle on Saturday 6 May for a live screening of the King’s Coronation before celebrating in style on Sunday 7 May at A Right Royal Day Out. Expect a full day of family fun including free entertainment, craft workshops, walkabout entertainers and the live screening of the Coronation Concert.
A car meeting with a difference, including anything with a wheel: from vintage, classic and American vehicles to bikes, scooters, and even a model railway! The event run by Pontefract Civic Society, will feature an entertainment stage, craft fair, children’s activities, scavenger hunt, workshops, face painting and more!
Wakefield Armed Forces Day is an action-packed day of celebration to say a big thank you to our military personnel and their families, along with Veterans and Cadet Forces.
This hugely popular, free event takes place in the beautiful grounds of Pontefract Park and Race Course. Expect military vehicles and displays, live music, children’s rides and activities, craft market, street food and a special Battle of Britain Memorial Flight fly-past.
Visitors come from far and wide to visit Pontefract Liquorice Festival. A sweet-themed celebration of the town’s liquorice heritage which centres on a colourful market selling tasty treats to tempt the taste buds, quirky gifts and homeware that you just won’t find anywhere else. Explore the market whilst listening to live music from talented local musicians, enjoy fun family activities, live street entertainment and make your way around the liquorice food and drink trail to try out the liquorice creations offered in local cafés and bars. If you’re here for the full weekend, be sure to visit the warmup event for the festival Liquorice Shoots on Saturday 8 July. This fun family day out features an artisan market, dog show, scavenger hunt, face painting, community art trail, food stalls and more.
For more ideas of things to see and do in Pontefract and the wider Wakefield district visit www.experiencewakefield.co.uk or better still, be the first to find out What’s On by signing up to our monthly newsletter expwake.co/enews
