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.

Flat Racing

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

Pontefract Top Times
Last 5 years

Flat

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	King's Code (Good)	14 Apr 2025	2m 10.41s
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

Pontefract Top Trainers
Last 3 years (ordered by number of winners)

Flat

Trainer	Runners	Wins	Places	Prize Money	Strike-Rate	P/L
T D Easterby	207	24	82	£124,589	11.59%	-£62.00
R A Fahey	110	14	41	£111,792	12.73%	-£25.98
C Johnston	81	13	32	£79,107	16.05%	-£18.59
K R Burke	58	12	26	£124,924	20.69%	£1.45
G Boughey	36	12	15	£128,349	33.33%	£21.13
P T Midgley	93	11	33	£48,808	11.83%	£24.25
W J Haggas	27	11	10	£80,225	40.74%	£7.11
Mrs R Carr	55	10	11	£48,616	18.18%	£38.42
M & D Easterby	101	9	37	£36,267	8.91%	-£73.30
R M Beckett	32	9	18	£114,267	28.13%	-£9.82

Pontefract Top Jockeys
Last 3 years (ordered by number of winners)

Flat

Jockey	Runners	Wins	Places	Prize Money	Strike-Rate	P/L
D Tudhope	89	20	26	£198,820	22.47%	-£27.95
D Allan	122	16	55	£78,434	13.11%	-£41.75
Rossa Ryan	41	13	18	£80,400	31.71%	£7.28
O J Orr	93	12	36	£103,626	12.9%	-£16.73
Joanna Mason	77	11	31	£46,788	14.29%	-£28.17
Callum Rodriguez	51	11	19	£87,273	21.57%	£18.24
Jason Hart	123	10	49	£49,447	8.13%	-£69.47
Connor Beasley	80	10	32	£57,458	12.5%	£10.58
D Nolan	71	10	23	£65,008	14.08%	£2.00
C Lee	36	9	15	£98,532	25%	£1.40