Pontefract review and replays: Glenartney claims Listed honours

A field of seven runners went to post for the mile and a half feature, with Bartzella all the rage as the 11/10 favourite in her bid to claim a fourth win from five starts.

But the warning signs were out for her supporters from an early stage, with Danny Tudhope – fresh from riding four winners at Royal Ascot – hard at work a long way out and she was ultimately well beaten.

The Ed Walker-trained Glenartney had failed to add to her tally in six starts since opening her account at Newmarket in October 2020, but did run with credit when third in a Group Three at York last month.

Stepping back down in trip, the 9/2 chance travelled strongly for much of race and was tough when she needed to be in the closing stages to see off Goldie Hawk by a neck.

Coakley told ITV Racing: "She’s tough. Our main worry before the race was a lack of pace and being drawn one I didn’t know whether to make the running with her which isn’t something we’d be keen to do in a normal situation because all she does is gallop.

"But it worked out nicely, they went a good gallop, she switched off beautifully and travelled well through the run.

"She maybe rolled around a bit and got a bit lonely but I always felt she was just about doing enough and it’s a big win for connections with her being a filly.

"That’s a big personal landmark for me, my first stakes win, so I’m very grateful to Ed and connections for giving me the opportunity.

"Obviously I rode her in the Bronte Cup at York last time when we felt we were a little unlucky on the day and she’s a filly I think we’ll see the best of in the autumn when she’ll get slower ground."

Clear sailing for Visibility

Visibility (20/1) ran out a comfortable winner of the Sky Bet Sunday Series Handicap, picking up strongly in the final furlong to beat Piecederesistance by a length and a half.

Scott Dixon's charge was without a win on turf coming into the race, but he was always travelling sweatly under a confident ride from Jack Duern and put the race to bed in good style once given the office at the furlong marker.

Dixon said afterwards: "He's done that that well. He got a great tow into the race and Jack gave him a peach of a ride.

"We’ve always known the horse had a lot of ability in that sort of grade, he can just be a bit hard to catch right, but everything worked out right for him today."

Misty Blues takes big step forward

The opening Sky Bet Sunday Series EBF Fillies' Restricted Novice Stakes was won by Misty Blues (11/1) who stayed on strongly to claim first prize for local trainer Tim Easterby.

The Expert Eye filly was making it third time lucky having failed to impact in stronger company at York last time, but she relished the stiff finish at Pontefract and bounded two and a half lengths clear of Speriamo in the closing stages.

Misty Blues tracked Speriamo for much of the way and made her move turning for home, diving to the inside and finding plenty for David Allen's urgings, leaving the winning jockey understandably pleased afterwards.

Allen said: "She’s not the biggest, but she's hard as nails and has really sharpened up from running last time.

"It was a bit sharp for her last time out and she got a bit flat-footed, but this track really suited her and she’s done it well in the end."

1-2 for team Johnston

Mark and Charlie Johnston saddled the first two home in the Sky Bet Sunday Series Middle-Distance Handicap, as Enfranchise (4/1) proved too strong for stablemate Approachability.

Enfranchise has been kept busy since the turn of the year and this was her third success of 2022, one that came in good style as she travelled powerfully throughout the 1m4f contest before taking up the running approaching the final furlong.

Haunted Dream briefly threatened to spoil the Johnston party as he mounted his challenge down the outside, but he ran out of steam close home as the Middleham runners took top billing.

Kaizer (9/2) stayed on best of all to edge out Flint Hill in the Sky Bet Sunday Series Pontefract Cup Handicap.

When Yasmin From York joined in with a furlong to run, there was little to separate the three protagonists, but Kaizer was delivered to perfection under a typically well-timed challenge from Joe Fanning and inched in front in the shadows of the post.

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