Pontefract, Wednesday 29 April 2026 — Good Ground Tips

Pontefract, Wednesday 29 April 2026 — Good Ground Tips

Pontefract serves up seven races on good ground today, and there are three races worth picking through properly. The track's undulating, turning nature rewards horses that stay well and handle cut in the ground, so good ground here today is worth noting for any horses that have previously been seen on softer. Three races stand out for angles worth backing.

1:43 — Racing Foundation Supports The NHC EBF Maiden Stakes (5f, 2yo)

Four runners, two of them debutants at big prices, and this effectively comes down to a match between Innichen and Or Another. The market will tighten this up before the off, but the angle here is clear.

Or Another (K R Burke) is the selection. A 180,000gns Dark Angel colt whose dam is an unraced half-sister to Tactical, a Group 2 winner over 6f at two, this is a pedigree dripping with precocious 5-6f speed. Burke's yard has been in fine form with 10 winners from 41 runners in the last two weeks, and Shane Foley takes the ride, suggesting the team travel in confidence. The market around evens with Innichen looks fair on form, but Or Another's supreme pedigree for this trip and the power of the yard make him hard to oppose on debut.

Innichen has race experience and was competitive at Newmarket last time, so this is no gimme. If Or Another shows any greenness, the experienced rival could exploit it. But Burke sends out a 180,000gns Dark Angel on debut at a track with form backers and this is not a yard that travels for fun.

Selection: Or Another (evens, Bet365/William Hill)

2:13 — Sir Peter O'Sullevan Charitable Trust Novice Stakes (1m2f)

Infraad (William Haggas) is the clear form pick at odds-on, but the price you need to focus on is whether there is value opposing him. Haggas has six winners from 32 runners in the past 14 days, the yard is ticking along, and Tom Marquand takes the ride. Infraad was beaten at Nottingham last time after racing too freely, which is a legitimate excuse, and the step up in trip here to 1m2f on good ground should see him settle better.

The danger is Leighton (John and Thady Gosden, 11/4). A Frankel colt out of a Group 1 winner, he ran green on debut at Kempton over a mile and the step up to 1m2f is the key move. Robert Havlin has the experience of handling green Gosden colts and the trainer strike rate of 13 from 40 in the last two weeks is outstanding. At 11/4, Leighton looks the value bet against the odds-on favourite.

Infraad is the best horse on form. But Leighton is being trained by the most in-form handler on the card today, and his debut was never a fair reflection of his ability. In a race where the favourite has his own question marks over racing freely, 11/4 about a well-bred, well-trained colt from a yard firing on all cylinders is the play.

Selection: Leighton (11/4, Bet Victor/talkSPORT BET)

3:23 — Tuffa Boots National Horseracing College Handicap (1m, 9 runners)

Nine runners, a competitive 1m handicap on good ground, and there are two horses that stand out from the field.

Walsingham Each-Way (David O'Meara, 3/1 Bet365) is the headline pick. He completed a hat-trick last summer with two of those wins coming over this course and distance on good ground, so the conditions are tailored to him. He returned at Ripon a fortnight ago and ran a solid third after clipping heels mid-race, which interrupted his run. He was keeping on well at the line and clearly still has the ability. O'Meara has seven winners from 47 runners in the last two weeks, a yard that is rolling along, and Daniel Tudhope is a top booking. The only question is whether good ground is fast enough, but his winning form was on good so that concern can be set aside.

The main threat comes from Leadenhall Each-Way (Tim Easterby, 7/1 Bet Victor/talkSPORT BET/BetWright). He won this exact race last year off the same mark on good ground and has form at Haydock off a higher mark too. Coming back from a six-month break is the concern, but the Easterby yard has seven winners from 81 runners in recent weeks, suggesting horses are returning ready to run. At 7/1 for a horse that won this race 12 months ago off the same weight, the each-way case is strong.

Selection: Walsingham (3/1, Bet365), with Leadenhall as the each-way alternative at 7/1

Today's NAP