INCLUSIVE,

SUPPORTIVE TRAINING AT THE NHC HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 4)

1m 6y

For conditions of this race, see page 47 for four yrs old and upwards x Total prize fund £12000 Owners Prize Money. 1st £4955, 2nd £2478, 3rd £1238, 4th £619, 5th £310. (Penalty Value £6280.80) colours no horse age st-lb Draw

LEADING COURSE TRAINER (17-22): R Fahey (38 wins from 270 runners, 14%) runs SOLAR JOE TRAINER-IN-FORM (LAST 14 DAYS): R Fahey (5 wins from 43 runners, 12%) runs SOLAR JOE LONGEST TRAVELLER: WESTERN STARS trained by E Dunlop, Newmarket, 147 miles.

1 MASTER RICHARD (GB) (234) 241210- D 4 9-11 (8)

Br B g Aclaim (IRE) - Movementneverlies Paul Mulrennan J

O Mr T. S. Ingham & Mrs Liz Ingham Ann Duffield, Leyburn T

B Mrs K. Thomas Sims Suzuki S

TIMEFORM VIEW Ninth of 16 in handicap at Doncaster (8f, good to soft, 10/1), doing too much too soon. Off 7 months and not totally dismissed.

HHHII BHA87

2 WESTERN STARS (FR) (205) 231644- CD 4 9-4 (6)

Br B g Almanzor (FR) - Waikika (FR) David Egan J

O Andy and Julie White and Partner Ed Dunlop, Newmarket T

B Mr P. Bellaiche & SCEA Yann Barberot Tattersalls S

TIMEFORM VIEW C&D winner Respectable fourth of 9 in handicap at Yarmouth (11.5f, good to soft, 18/1).

Off 6 months. Back down in trip. Shortlisted.

3 THE COOKSTOWN CAFU (GB) (23) 50512-1 CD 4 9-3 (7)

Br B g Invincible Spirit (IRE) - Miss Delila (USA) Rowan Scott J

O Highbank Stud Kevin Ryan, Hambleton T

B Highbank Stud LLP

TIMEFORM VIEW Arrives on the up and resumed with all-the-way win in 14-runner handicap at Redcar (7f, heavy) 23 days ago. This C&D winner rates a big player nudged up 2lb.

4 SOLAR JOE (GB) (230) 512200- CD

HHHHH BHA79

5 9-1 (3)

Br Ch g Twilight Son - Kip Oisin Orr J

O UK Farming Renewable Energy Richard Fahey, Malton T

B Yorks Equine UK Farming Renewable Energy, UK Farming Renewables S

TIMEFORM VIEW C&D winner. Ninth of 10 in handicap at this course (12f, good, 11/2). Off 7 months. Significantly back down in trip. Needs to bounce back.

5 VACCINE (IRE) (9) 40-2452

HHHII BHA77

4 9-0 (4)

Br B g Vadamos (FR) - Strike A Light Connor Beasley J

O RJH LTD and D Stone Michael Dods, Darlington T

B Tally-Ho Stud STS Group Ltd S

TIMEFORM VIEW Good second of 16 in handicap (10/1) at this C&D (good to soft) 9 days ago, clear of rest. Cheekpieces back on. Looks competitive on form.

6 STRONGBOWE (FR) (9) 65220-0 D

TFRHHHHI BHA76 (+3)

7 8-12 (1)

Br B g Siyouni (FR) - Landing Site (FR) David Allan J

O Ryedale Partners No 6 Tim Easterby, Malton T

B Jedburgh Stud & Mr T. De La Heronniere Easthorpe Hall Stud S

TIMEFORM VIEW Below form seventh of 16 in handicap (16/1) at this C&D (good to soft) 9 days ago, slowly away Others more persuasive.

7 MOAI (FR) (21) 000000 D

Br B g Showcasing - Psychometry (FR)

O Mr Ivan Furtado

TFRHHIII BHA74 (-1)

5 8-12 (5)

Elle-May Croot (7) J

Ivan Furtado, Newark T

B Famille Niarchos Signfab (UK) Ltd S

TIMEFORM VIEW 125/1 and cheekpieces on for 1st time, twelfth of 13 in handicap at Kempton (8f) 21 days ago, very slowly away Needs a subsequent wind op to spark a big resurgence.

TFRHHIII BHA74

8 COPPER AND FIVE (GB) (16) 30404-0 D

Br Ch g Paco Boy (IRE) - Peachez

7 8-8 (2)

Faye McManoman J

O Mrs Sally Doyle and Mrs Ruth Carr Ruth Carr, Stillington T

B Mrs S. Doyle & Highclere Stud Xre Construction Training Ltd, NIRVANA SPA & LEISURE LTD S

TIMEFORM VIEW Eighth of 9 in handicap (15/2) at Redcar (8f, heavy) 16 days ago. Twelve runs since last win in 2021. TFRHHIII BHA70

2022: GLOBAL SPIRIT 7 9 5 Jason Hart 11-2 (Roger Fell) 6 ran Sheepskin Cheek Pieces worn by No 5, 6. Running for the first time since Wind Surgery No 7.

DECLARED RUNNERS 8

Record Time: 1min 40.6secs; Median Time: 1min 45.90secs

Stewards Note: MOAI: Following its run on 12/4/2023 it was reported that the horse was slowly away.

Probable S.P.’s: 2-1 The Cookstown Cafu (GB), 4-1 Vaccine (IRE), 11-2 Master Richard (GB), 13-2 Copper And Five (GB), 10-1 Solar Joe (GB), 18-1 Western Stars (FR), 20-1 Strongbowe (FR), 150-1 Moai (FR)

THE COOKSTOWN CAFU’s form is on an upward curve and a 2lb rise for his reappearance success at Redcar doesn’t look sufficient to prevent this C&D winner from following up. Vaccine is feared most on the back of his good recent C&D second, with C&D scorer Western Stars appealing as the pick of the remainder for place purposes.

TIMEFORM PREDICTION: 1.THE COOKSTOWN

Instructors and Learners from the National Horseracing College will present a memento to the winning owner in the Winner’s Enclosure after this race A cash prize of £40 will be presented to the stable employee in charge of the best turned out horse in this race.

The winning horse will also receive a sack of carrots kindly donated by Poskitts Vegetable Farmers and Growers.

Abbreviations

BF - Beaten Favourite.C - Course Winner.U - Unseated Rider.

D - Distance Winner.d - Disqualified. S - Slipped.

ABANDONMENT -TICKETS &REFUNDS

IN THE EVENT of racing being ABANDONED after the first race has been run, NO REFUNDS WILL BE MADE in respect of admission charges, NOR WILL ANY ABANDONMENT TICKETS ISSUED BE VALID.

Welfare Of Horses And Riders

The safety and welfare of all horses and riders involved in races at Pontefract is one of our principal priorities. A Paramedic Ambulance, a Doctor and a Vet follow the runners in every race.

GREEN SCREENS will normally be erected round any horse or rider requiring attention in order to provide privacy. This does NOT necessarily reflect on the severity of any injury.