John Ingles provides an overview of the key things to note on Sunday.
Three points of interest
Point Lynas hard to catch in bid to win Pomfret again
Pontefract’s Pomfret Stakes (14:55), a listed race over a mile, looks a very tight contest on paper, with just 5 lb covering all six runners on Timeform ratings. Heading them is last year’s winner Point Lynas who looks to have a good chance of winning it for the second year running back under regular jockey Callum Rodriguez.
His win last year was one of two in a light season for 'Hot Trainer' Ed Bethell’s front runner who began his 2024 campaign by winning the Hambleton Handicap at York. He turned last year’s Pomfret Stakes into a very one-sided affair as he never looked in any danger, going clear over a furlong out and being eased near the line to win by five and a half lengths from Regal Reality.
Point Lynas missed the rest of 2024 but has come back this season seemingly better than ever judged on his latest start. He has also run two good races abroad earlier this year, finishing second in a valuable event in Qatar on his return in February, just ahead of one of today’s rivals Make Me King, and was a close fourth, a place behind the same rival, in the Group 3 Prix Bertrand du Breuil at Chantilly. However, his best run came last time in the Summer Mile at Ascot when he built up a lead of around a dozen lengths under Jamie Spencer before going down by three quarters of a length to Never So Brave. Point Lynas was obviously seen to maximum effect there, but he should be harder to peg back dropping back in grade here.
Midgley pair can fight out five-furlong dash for in-form yard
Paul Midgley has won the five-furlong handicap (16:25) on Pontefract’s card twice since 2019 and has gone close again in recent years, saddling the runner-up in 2022, the second, third and fourth in 2023 and the third and fourth last year.
Currently with the ‘Hot Trainer’ flag after a good run of form, Midgley is double-handed again this year, and not only do Ventura Express and Elegant Erin come out top and second-top in the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings, both sprinters also earned the ‘Horse In Focus’ flag for their latest starts. A three-time winner last year, Elegant Erin was runner-up in three consecutive races prior to her latest start when seventh in the Gosforth Park Cup at Newcastle, but she was forced to challenge on the far wing in that more competitive affair and remains very much at the top of her game.
She’s of interest dropping into this class 4 handicap, but fellow eight-year-old Ventura Express also comes into this on the back of a good run. David Nolan’s mount is ideally suited by stiff tracks – he has done all his winning at either Pontefract, where he’s been successful four times, or Beverley – and looked unlucky not to finish closer at the latter track last time, having to wait a long time for a clear run before finishing a length and a half second to Emeralds Pride who was a good second at Ascot on Friday. Still on a good mark here, he can go one better at the expense of his stablemate.
‘Hot Trainer’ Mickey Bowen set for good day at Uttoxeter
Formerly joint licence-holder with his father Peter, Mickey Bowen took over the reigns at the family’s Pembrokeshire yard in May and is enjoying a fine spell at present, earning the ‘Hot Trainer’ flag after ten winners this month. He has every chance of adding to that total at Uttoxeter with leading contenders in at least three races.
The front-running Gavin could be hard to catch off bottom weight in the handicap hurdle at 14:37, while Art of Diplomacy barely came off the bridle when successful over course and distance earlier in the month and can follow up in the staying handicap chase (15:07) which is the most valuable event on the card. That pair will be ridden by conditional Shane Fenelon, while Bowen teams up with brother Sean in the concluding handicap hurdle (17:07) where La Quarite is very interesting in what looks a strong race for the grade.
A maiden over hurdles, La Quarite only joined the Bowen yard this season and has had four runs over fences for his new stable. With a tongue tie back on, he was much improved on his last start at Newton Abbot a week ago when bolting up by 36 lengths having cruised clear from the home turn, earning the ‘Horse In Focus’ flag. Clearly very well handicapped over fences, La Quarite gets to race off the same mark back over hurdles so could be potentially thrown-in on his first start over the smaller obstacles for his current yard.
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