Oli Bell previews the Sunday Series finale card from Pontefract and provides a selection for every race.
The Sky Bet Sunday Series is returning for a sixth year and welcomes a new charity partner in Young Lives vs Cancer.
The ever-popular Series is a strategic collaboration between Flutter, RMG, ITV, HorsePWR and the host racecourses and has now delivered nearly £5m in additional prizemoney since its launch in 2021.
The series will span five fixtures starting at Musselburgh (April 12 and 26) before rolling on to Hamilton Park (May 17) before crossing the border for the remaining two cards at Thirsk (May 31) and Pontefract (August 16).
There are plenty of prizes on offer, including £100,000 to the connections of the first horse to win three races across the Series which was won last year by Spring Is Sprung, trained by Paul Midgley and owned by John Blackburn. There is the inaugural Jockeys’ Cup and a £25,000 first prize for the jockey who picks up most points across the Series, with £5,000 on offer for second, and £3,000 for third. Stable Staff will have the opportunity to win cash prizes, with a total of £15,000 (£10k, £3k, £2k) to be paid out to the stable staff of the first three trainers in the Series. In addition, Sky Bet will once again kindly sponsor and offer £250 for the Best Turned Out in each race.
Pontefract Timeform Course Guide
Left handed, in excess of two miles long, with considerable gradients and a stiff uphill finish. Despite the gradients, the run-in is only two furlongs long, and prominent racers can prove difficult to peg back, certainly in races up to a mile and a quarter. On very testing going, the jockeys occasionally race wide in search of better ground, swinging across to the stand side in the straight.
Oli Bell's race-by-race selections
15:45 Enter ITV7 For Free Novice Stakes
Varzi is the only one with experience in this field and ran really well on debut when second to Cut A Dash at York in May. We haven't seen him since though, at the time of writing he's odds-on and I'm happy to take a chance on PRINCELAND. He cost 320,000 guineas as a yearling, is very well bred and the Crisford newcomers tend to know their job first time up.
16:15 Sky Bet For The Fans Fillies' Handicap
I like SI GRASS in this for Charlie Johnston. She was racing for the first time since February when making her handicap debut at Goodwood last time and shaped really well. The daughter of Churchill only tired late after over-racing a little and finished eighth. She looks the sort to be winning races from a mark of 81 with that freshness out of the system.
16:45 EBF Sky Bet Club Flying Fillies' Stakes
She was a length-and-a-quarter in front of Royal Fixation when fourth in the Summer Stakes at York last time and AMERICA QUEEN brings the best form to the table. She has a handy low draw to attack from and should take a bit of pegging back..
17:15 Sky Bet Price Boosts Handicap
High Degree is a warm order but proving difficult to win with, a comment that doesn't apply to JEZ BOMB. He's in the form of his life right now and while up seven pounds for a three-and-a-quarter lengths defeat of Without Compromise over course-and-distance last time, he had any amount in hand that day. I'll go with the Pontefract specialist.
17:45 Sky Bet Build A Bet Handicap
His form figures are a little uninspiring but KYLIAN's mark has plummeted as a resut. He's down to 90 having been rated 102 at the start of the campaign and never had a chance racing in the wrong group at Ascot last time. A first-time visor and a strongly-run five furlongs around here might just work the oracle.
She's not the sort to win by very far but that's keeping CAMPEONA ahead of the handicapper and Sir Mark Prescott's filly is fancied to complete a four-timer. She was always doing enough when beating An Bradan Feasa by a neck at Lingfield last time and is only up two pounds. There might be another win or two to come in the current sequence.
f="https://www.sportinglife.com/racing/racecards/2026-08-16/pontefract/racecard/933265/sky-bet-proud-to-support-young-lives-vs-cancer-handicap">18:45 Sky Bet Proud To Support Young Lives Vs Cancer Handicap
There are plenty in here with a chance but I'm going to side with HAVANA RUM for Richard and Peter Fahey. The six-year-old loves it around Pontefract, is in very good form right now and is back down to his last winning mark. Throw in a good low draw and he has plenty going for him.
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