Allonsy sets course record at Pontefract in listed victory

The four-year-old progressed through the handicap ranks in 2024, winning four on the trot between June and August, before signing off with a second in this grade at Ascot in October.

Allonsy had finished no better than midfield in two starts in the current campaign but returned to her best with a game success in the 12 furlong contest.

She still had most of the tightly grouped field in front of her turning for home but a large gap opened for Hector Crouch as the field fanned across the track and Allonsy didn't need a second invitation, powering to the front and always holding Karmology despite there being just a neck between them at the line.

The pair pulled three and a half lengths clear of Meribella, trained, like the winner, by Ralph Beckett, in third.

The winning time of 2.33.68 was a new course record.

Crouch told Racing TV: "It looked a nice race for her. She'd been pitched in at the deep end in Group 3 company so to drop back into listed class and get her head in front, it's very important for her owner / breeder.

"She's extremely harder. Once we got her figured out in her three-year-old career she did nothing but improve, she finished second in a listed race at Ascot at the backend. She was a little bit frustrating and we switched her riding her really prominently and aggressively and it made a big difference, she's grown up a lot, you don't have to ride her quite as forwards.

"We'll go back up in grade now and see what she can do, she's got nothing to lose and she's fabulously tough."

Only three went to post for the Pontefract Races Autism In Racing EBF Fillies' Novice Stakes which opened the card but racegoers may well have seen a useful filly in Enchant (10/11 favourite).

Trained by Karl Burke and owned by Wathnan Racing - who both enjoyed a successful Royal Ascot - Enchant was purchased for £300,000 from the breeze-ups and was well supported in the betting ahead of her debut and kept on well to deny the more experienced Bleep Test, conceding 4 lbs, by half-a-length.

Winning rider Sam James said: "She'll definitely improve and she might even get seven the way she ran there.

"It was lovely, it was quite nice for her to only have a small number of runners and you could ride how you liked. I wanted to follow Dave and I thought Danny would follow me but he kicked up on Dave's outside.

"Sometimes the best thing on a horse on their first run is to try and teach them as much as you can even if you do end up getting beat but she was tough and she's going to improve a hell of a lot for that.

"I have sat on her at home and I've always liked her. She's still a little bit on the weak side and is going to improve a hell of a lot as the year goes on. I was very happy with her. I know Tim's had won, is a bit of a yardstick and it's not easy to beat a horse which has had a few runs so she's obviously going to improve a lot."

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