Pontefract Racing Tips

Kevin Ryan's Bloomington Bride is forecast to go off favourite for this four-runner novice stakes over the minimum trip and she might be worth taking on. She shaped well in runs at Thirsk and Nottingham early in the summer but she could only manage third at the latter venue thus month in a maiden and needs to improve here to down Where's Diana. Roger Fell's filly was gutsy when scoring over C&D on debut in April and has improved since in defeat. She found a Listed event at York in May too warm on third start but her effort in a Catterick novice (5f, good to firm) was fair as she gave weight to the field in what has proved quite a good race. This looks a good spot for her after a short break despite again conceding weight.

This is an excellent race on paper despite the paucity of numbers. Boltaway is 3-3 in handicaps for Roger Charlton and can offer more going up in distance, while Arrow Of Gold and Kings Prince are both capable of better things. So, too, should Possible Man for Sir Michael Stoute - who has a fine strike-rate of 28 per-cent at Pontefract in the last five seasons. His King Power-owned colt was a game winner at Nottingham (1m2f, good to firm) in June, edging out State Of Bliss after a sustained duel. The runner-up was again beaten on the nod at Glorious Goodwood before romping home last weekend at Ascot. Just 1lb higher and with more to come at this increased trip, Silvestre De Sousa's mount is a major player.

An interesting Irish raider here in Valeria Messalina as Jessica Harrington attempts to land this Listed Flying Fillies' Stakes. The daughter of Holy Roman Emperor was a 7f Group 3 winner in Ireland last summer before an agonising near miss in the Oak Tree Stakes at Glorious Goodwood afterwards. She has had some tough challenges since - mostly in Group 1 and 2 contests - and last month's second behind Pearls Galore in the Brownstown Stakes at Fairyhouse (7f, good) was a sure sign she is ready to strike again soon. She's got plenty of speed about her and a testing 6f here could be ideal for her in a first-time tongue-tie with Andrea Atzeni booked to ride.

Alpha Cru was the only one to emerge from the pack with a challenge when landing a C&D maiden last month for David O'Meara's team and, in the circumstances, the Australia filly did well to come and claim front-running Bluewater Lady to get the call in the dying embers. She's not badly treated now going into novice company against mostly fellow 3YOs, while top-weight Gold Ring was well held in a Redcar seller four weeks ago and will do well to give 6lb to this promising filly.