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Sky Bet Sunday Series: Pontefract set for big finale

By Racing TV

Last Updated: Thu 15 Aug 2024

By Mark Rowntree

Pontefract stages their richest ever raceday this weekend with nearly £250,000 offered for the culmination of the 2024 Sky Bet Sunday Series.

Continuing from the drama at Haydock Park a fortnight earlier, the Jim Goldie bonus-seekers Letsbefrank (5.15pm) and American Affair (6.15pm) are expected to reappear in a bid to complete the feat of becoming the first horse(s) to notch three wins across the competitive six-fixture series, earning an additional £100,000 if able to do so.

Elsewhere on the seven-race Premier Raceday fixture, the £75,000 EBF Sky Bet Sunday Series Flying Fillies' Stakes, a Listed event run over six furlongs, takes centre stage at 4.45pm.

Alfa Kellenic out for fantastic five-timer

The EBF Sky Bet Sunday Series Flying Fillies' Stakes is the £75,000 feature and 16 fillies and mares are in contention at the initial entry stage for the Listed heat over six furlongs.

Ralph Beckett’s Funny Storywas beaten a neck when runner-up to Believing in this last year prior to going onto enjoy Listed success in the Boadicea Stakes at Newmarket later in the season. She recently bounced back to her early season levels when third to Quinault in the Queensferry Stakes at Chester, so would be a major threat to all if taking her chance.

Others with official BHA ratings of 100-plus include Pink Crystal, Adaay in Devon, and Rage of Bamby. Pink Crystal(William Haggas),winner of the Listed Arran Scottish Sprint Stakes at Ayr last September, and Rage of Bamby (Eve Johnson Houghton) both possess the additional option of heading to Naas for the Ballyogan Stakes later this month.

Pink Crystal has had a couple of runs so far this year, seemingly doing well to finish seventh after being squeezed out leaving the stalls in the Group 3 William Hill Summer Stakes (York), while Rage of Bamby took her form to a completely new level winning a red-hot Sky Bet Dash Handicap at York in late July.

Eve Johnson Houghton’s mare flopped – last of 13 – in the Lansdown Stakes at Bath in April, a race won by Adaay in Devon (Rod Millman), and reportedly needs fast ground to be at her best. Conversely, rain wouldn’t go amiss for Adaay in Devon, who has been the model of consistency. She enjoyed success in the Scurry Stakes at Sandown Park (5f) prior to coming off second best to old foe Flora of Bermuda in the aforementioned Summer Stakes at York.

A visit to Pontefract would represent a swift turnaround for the Devon-based three-year-old after she acquitted herself admirably off a big weight when fourth to Holkham Bay in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Dash.

"More to come"

A filly on a sharp upward trajectory is Craig Lidster’s Alfa Kellenic, who is an impressive three from three on turf since returning to action in June, winning at Thirsk, York and Ayr - and from a 15lb higher mark than at the start of her sequence. She is jointly owned by the Good Racing Co, Paul Hanagan, and Simon Mapletoft.

Mapletoft said: “We were keen to make the entry based on the fact that she’s highly progressive and, although she’s won four on the bounce, we’re pretty certain that there’s more to come.

“Obviously we’re mindful of the fact that she’s only rated 88, so we could potentially seek to exploit that handicap mark, but we just felt that this was worth an entry, as it isn’t always the deepest of Listed races on the eve of York and in the middle of a busy summer period.”

The racing journalist and broadcaster added: “She has answered every question that we’ve asked. When she won at Thirsk, she was fresh and keen, but she still got the job done easily. She turned round pretty quickly to go and win from off the pace at York, which is a speed-favoring track, while things didn’t exactly go to plan at Ayr either, with Tom (Eaves) having to angle for a run with the race unfolding away from him, but she still delivered. In my mind, she was always going to win at Ayr, I knew she’d pick them up.

“She’s still a work in progress, she’s a lovely big filly. She’s a very good moving horse who wouldn’t want soft ground, but she’s proved that she can cope with something slightly on the easier side. Equally, she wouldn’t want it lightning quick either. A good sound surface is ideal.

“We’re lucky in that we have the benefit of Paul (Hanagan) still being able to ride her work. It’s exciting, but plans remain fluid with a number of things to consider over the next 48 hours, before we seek to make a final decision.”

Other notable candidates include Kitai, sixth last year, and back on song on just her fourth start for Mick Appleby when winning the HKJC World Pool British EBF Fillies’ Handicap at the Qatar Goodwood Festival. She was two from four at Pontefract during her time with Charlie and Mark Johnston.

Miaharris (Owen Burrows) has been campaigned mostly in France this season, finishing fourth in the seven-furlong Prix Amandine at Deauville in July, and is still lightly raced, while Marine Wave (Richard Fahey) probably needs to improve to reverse various form lines with Pink Crystal, but does arrive off the back of the narrowest of defeats in the Racing League at Wolverhampton.

Finally, last year’s winning trainer George Boughey has the choice of either Embrace (OR 88) or Rosy Affair (OR 85) who both have something to find with the principals on the figures.

Don't miss episode four of Champions Full Gallop on ITV on Friday night. Click here to catch up with the series on ITVX

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