'She's due to come back into form anytime' - key analysis and quotes for the Listed contest at Pontefract

This Listed race for older fillies and mares, run over 1m4f at a stiff track, has been won by very much the sort of trainers you would expect. Sir Michael Stoute, Ralph Beckett and Luca Cumani have all had two in the last decade. Other winners include John Gosden, Roger Varian and Mark Johnston.

Beckett is the one out of that group with a live contender this year. River Of Stars is the main attraction in this running of the Pontefract Castle. She has won a Listed race and a Group 3 and has also twice been second at Group 2 level.

Her Pattern win came in last year's Bronte Cup at York. That is before the cut-off date for penalties in this race so she does not have to give weight to rivals who do not have her demonstrable class. 

River Of Stars is fit from a creditable defence in the Bronte Cup – she was beaten two and a half lengths in third – and Beckett does well at Pontefract. He has run some of his big names here and has a 25 per cent strike-rate in the last five years.

The main dangers on form are from yards that might not have won this race but fit into a similar category to those that have. 

David Simcock trains Ching Shih, who needs to recapture the sort of form she showed when chasing home Arrest in the Geoffrey Freer last August. The Andrew Balding-trained Sea Of Roses was third in the Daisy Warwick at Goodwood two runs ago, while Ermesinde ran a career best when three places behind River Of Stars last time. That she is one of the main contenders suggests that this race is within the range of River Of Stars.
Race analysis by Keith Melrose

Ground and weather

The going is good to firm, good in places. Light showers hit the track on Friday night, but the forecast has been mainly dry, warm and sunny since 6mm of rainfall fell on Tuesday night. Similar conditions are expected on Sunday, while officials are applying between 3-4mm of water to maintain the quick ground.

What they say

William Muir, joint-trainer of Avon Light
She's in good shape and has been running really good races until last time. She was travelling well, but she pulled a shoe off coming down the hill and Saffie [Osborne] looked after her. She was quite sore for a few days, but she's fine now and is moving back to where she was. We're trying to get black type, which is a big ask, but she's well in herself.

David Simcock, trainer of Ching Shih
She was disappointing in her first two starts this season – she was a little quiet at Goodwood and a little keen at Haydock last time – but she ran well in this race last time and is due to come back into form anytime.

Rae Guest, trainer of Divina Grace
She's very well and is in great form. She wants fast ground.

Kevin Philippart de Foy, trainer of Ermesinde
She's doing very well and she ran a pretty good race over a mile-and-six for the first time. She stays a mile and a half well, while I'm not concerned about the ground; I think she handles any kind and she's in good shape.

Ed Walker, trainer of Scenic
She ran better than it looked at Haydock because she was drawn badly and ended up right at the back. She was flying at the finish and the handicapper clearly thinks it was a good run as he put her up 7lb. Although this would be a quick turnaround, she seems to have come out of the race well.
Reporting by Liam Headd

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