General Information
The 2010 season at Pontefract continues with Ladies Day on Wednesday 4th August.
FASHION and finery collide when Pontefract Racecourse holds its annual Ladies' Day on Wednesday, August 4.
A seven race card kicks off at 2-10 p.m. with the Pontefract Handicap Stakes for Gentleman Amateur Riders and a busy day of action is highlighted by the feature £15,000 Big Fellas & Silks Nightclub Pontefract Handicap Stakes – a mile and a half contest for three-year-olds and upwards.
Big Fellas, the Pontefract-based nightclub, are also supporting a six furlong maiden, while sprinters are in action in the final race of the day – the Keith Hammill Memorial Handicap Stakes.
The six furlong race is held in memory of the late Keith Hammill, whose son, Richard, is clerk of the course and assistant manager at Pontefract.
This season’s renewal of The Chaplins Club Handicap Stakes (five furlongs) remembers one of the north’s most remarkable sprinters, whose victory at this equivalent meeting in 1988 was incredibly his seventh win in 18 days and his second in less than 24 hours, having been successful at Ayr the previous evening! Trained at Stillington near York by David Chapman, Chaplins Club carried the colours of Peter Savill, former chairman of the then British Horseracing Board, who provided a challenge trophy for the race, depicting Charlie Chaplin.
‘Golden Oldies’ have their opportunity in The Matty Bown Veterans Handicap Stakes – a contest over one mile for six-year-olds and upwards. This race remembers a former employee of the racecourse, who worked at Pontefract before, during and after the Second World War.
Clothes firm PLANET are supporting the best dressed Lady competition and are providing the winners' prize of a £300 PLANET voucher.
Other prizes include a weekend at the races, including overnight stay for two and a meal in the Park Suite, as well as a millinery voucher, Titanic Spa Day and raceday tickets.
The Real Radio patrol will be wandering through the crowds to pick out the best dressed ladies in the crowd and Gayle from Real Radio's breakfast show will be on hand to judge the finalists.
The winner will also receive automatic entry into the Grand Final of the 'Best-Dressed Lady Race-goer in Yorkshire' competition, held at Doncaster in September, which is the culmination of a special competition linking all the individual 'Ladies Days' on the Yorkshire racecourse this summer. She will then have the chance to win a luxury prize for six at the award-winning Best Western Premier Mount Pleasant Hotel near Doncaster – voted Yorkshire's best hotel in last year's White Rose Awards for Tourism under the auspices of Welcome to Yorkshire, the official tourism body for the region.
There will be a free buttonhole and glass of bubbly for the first 500 ladies in the Premier Enclosure.
An avenue of Ladies' Day shops is also sure to keep everyone occupied. The giant screen, situated opposite the main stands, will assist racegoers to follow all of the action.
Premier £20, Grandstand & Paddock £13, Silver £6, Picnic £4 (or £10 with a car and 4 adults).
Online booking is available - please click here for further details.
