August 06 / 15.30 Pontefract

15.30

Good

RIU Hotels And Resorts Ladies Day Veterans’ Handicap

  • Prize money: £5234
  • 1m 0f 6y
  • Class 4
  • 7 runners
RTV
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RIU Hotels And Resorts Ladies Day Veterans’ Handicap

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

4/1 (Won)

  • Win: £4.34
  • Place: £1.80

Form: -41165 CD

Last run: 18 days

W: 9st 11lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 80

Form & Verdict
Front-runner; the veteran of 13 wins, seven at Ripon where he's seen most often (he's 1-9 here); two wins this spring and ran respectably on latest start, so he has to be considered.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

6

(3)

18th Jul 2026

Good

1m 0f 0y

Class 4

16:25 Ripon

Garden Oasis

8st 10lb

J: David Allan

T: Tim Easterby

11yo who needs to produce more than he's managed on his last three starts but he's 3lb lower than when a close third at Ayr (1m, good to firm) in May and has won at Ripon seven times; went close here in August 2024 when he last wore these blinkers (which replace cheekpieces); not discounted.

7/1

4th

5

(4)

29th Jun 2026

Good

1m 0f 6y

Class 4

16:00 Pontefract

Garden Oasis

9st 5lb

J: David Allan

T: Tim Easterby

Front-runner; best form this term when placed a few times in spring, showing that he retains plenty of ability aged 11; gained last win off 7lb higher over C&D and can't be ruled out.

5/1

5th

1

(5)

15th Jun 2026

Good

1m 0f 0y

Class 5

15:07 Wetherby

Garden Oasis

10st 0lb

J: Jake Dickson

T: Tim Easterby

Tough front-runner; ran a rare poor race last time but had been in good form prior to that, notably when a close third at Ayr last month (1m, good to firm); major chance.

9/2

14/1

  • Place: £3.70

Form: -80830

Last run: 39 days

W: 8st 12lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 67

Form & Verdict
Won two in a row on AW late last year; underperforming this year (May-June) sees him 7lb lower today than on reappearance, but his only turf win (19 attempts) was on debut in 2022.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

3

(3)

25th Jun 2026

Good To Firm

0m 7f 0y

Class 6

18:45 Leicester

Bass Player

9st 8lb

J: William Pyle

T: Kevin & Lauren Frost

Not yet a year since he almost defied 8lb higher on quick turf (1m); mixed bag since, and hard to find any benefit from a third wind operation in the winter, but he's too well treated not to bear in mind at least.

16/1

5th

7

(5)

31st May 2026

Good

1m 0f 75y

Class 5

17:25 Nottingham

Bass Player

8st 9lb

J: William Pyle

T: Kevin & Lauren Frost

Ended 2025 with two good runs but he has been well short of that level in two runs this year, a wind op before the latest making no difference; tongue tie returns; risky despite his reduced mark.

20/1

11th

9

(8)

8th May 2026

Good To Soft

1m 1f 170y

Class 5

19:45 Ripon

Bass Player

8st 11lb

J: William Pyle

T: Kevin Frost

First win was on turf (7f) and last two have been on Tapeta (8.6f); reached the frame in two starts at Wolverhampton in December but he had a major blip there the following month; had another wind operation since and needs a major revival after four months off.

12/1

OUR TIP

Form: 323145 D

Last run: 12 days

W: 9st 8lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 77

Form & Verdict
Admirable veteran who's an infrequent winner these days and this season's win came in a seller; he's rarely been far away this term, however.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

(3)

27th Oct 2025

Standard

1m 1f 104y

Class 5

20:00 Wolverhampton (AW)

Orbaan

9st 12lb

J: Sean Levey

T: David O’Meara

Veteran who dipped into a seller for his latest win, at Beverley (8.4f, good to firm) in July; current handicap mark is workable but his AW strike-rate is 0-13 and he needs to rebound from two down-the-field runs.

16/1

2

(3)

27th Oct 2025

Standard

1m 1f 104y

Class 5

20:00 Wolverhampton (AW)

Orbaan

9st 12lb

J: Sean Levey

T: David O’Meara

Veteran who dipped into a seller for his latest win, at Beverley (8.4f, good to firm) in July; current handicap mark is workable but his AW strike-rate is 0-13 and he needs to rebound from two down-the-field runs.

16/1

6

(11)

14th Oct 2025

Standard

1m 0f 1y

Class 4

16:00 Lingfield (AW)

Orbaan

9st 9lb

J: J F Egan

T: David O’Meara

Veteran who won a Beverley seller in July; some fair handicap runs since but others may have his measure back on AW (0-12 in this sphere).

12/1

7/1

Form: 259225 D

Last run: 30 days

W: 8st 12lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 67

Form & Verdict
A Newcastle (AW) success story for this yard but he was also runner-up on turf on consecutive starts this summer (Ripon and C&D); latest outing did not go so well (at Ripon) and he needs to bounce back from that.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5

(1)

19th Jul 2026

Good To Firm

1m 1f 0y

Class 6

17:17 Redcar

Volenti

9st 3lb

J: Andrew Mullen

T: Ben Haslam

Arrives in decent nick without winning, fourth of nine in 1m handicap at Ripon 13 days ago; it's now 20 runs since his last victory however.

13/2

4th

9

(4)

6th Jul 2026

Good

1m 0f 0y

Class 5

19:09 Ripon

Volenti

8st 4lb

J: Cam Hardie

T: Ben Haslam

In reasonably good form having made the frame in last three starts; however, still has a better strike-rate on Newcastle AW than on turf and this is a step back up in grade; 2lb out of weights.

10/1

3rd

13

(13)

20th Jun 2026

Good

0m 7f 219y

Class 6

17:18 Redcar

Volenti

9st 0lb

J: Conor Whiteley

T: Ben Haslam

Back in better form with fourth-place finishes the last twice; still has a better strike-rate on Newcastle AW than on turf but he's on an attractive mark and Conor Whiteley takes off a bonus 7lb; shortlisted.

7/1

Form: 11-696 CD

Last run: 19 days

W: 8st 9lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 64

Form & Verdict
Seven-time turf winner, including of his final four starts last season (7.4f-1m in August/September); took a step back towards that form on latest run but another is needed, still 4lb above his last winning mark.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8

(7)

16th Sep 2025

Good To Firm

0m 7f 219y

Class 5

16:35 Redcar

Captain Corelli

9st 7lb

J: Callum Rodriguez

T: Julie Camacho

Completed a hat-trick of wins in this race a year ago (good to firm; 2lb lower mark); not in such good form this season and probably best watched for now.

12/1

9th

6

(8)

24th Aug 2025

Good To Firm

1m 0f 100y

Class 5

16:20 Beverley

Captain Corelli

9st 6lb

J: Joe Fanning

T: Julie Camacho

Ran up a four-timer around this time last year, including two course wins, latterly off a 3lb lower mark; back in form last time and has a fair chance of making it 4-8 round here.

8/1

8/1

Form: 625386 D

Last run: 27 days

W: 8st 11lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 66

Form & Verdict
Two wins on AW but 0-17 on turf; second and third over C&D in the spring off slightly higher marks than this, before lesser efforts elsewhere on last two outings; well treated if back on song.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

(4)

23rd Aug 2025

Good To Firm

1m 2f 1y

Class 5

17:30 Redcar

Paris Lights

10st 1lb

J: David Nolan

T: Paul Midgley

Both wins on AW and 0-18 on turf; a couple of Pontefract runs this spring that bring him into the reckoning and this is effectively his first run at this level since winning at Newcastle in December; should run his race.

7/2

6th

7

(2)

6th Aug 2025

Good

1m 0f 6y

Class 4

15:30 Pontefract

Paris Lights

8st 11lb

J: Jason Hart

T: Paul Midgley

Two wins on AW but 0-17 on turf; second and third over C&D in the spring off slightly higher marks than this, before lesser efforts elsewhere on last two outings; well treated if back on song.

8/1

6th

2

(7)

10th Jul 2025

Good To Soft

0m 7f 213y

Class 5

17:30 Doncaster

Paris Lights

10st 0lb

J: David Nolan

T: Paul Midgley

Two wins on AW but 0-16 on turf; twice placed at Pontefract this season but he needs to rebound from a lacklustre effort at Ripon (1m2f, good) three weeks ago.

16/1

Form: 125210 D

Last run: 11 days

W: 9st 10lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 79

Form & Verdict
Usually held up; won twice in May and at Ripon (under Cian Horgan) in July on penultimate start; form dipped 11 days ago on latest but in a much more competitive race at York; likely to bounce back with a solid run.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

5

(4)

16th Jul 2026

Good To Firm

0m 7f 218y

Class 5

16:45 Thirsk

Cosmos Raj

9st 3lb

J: Mark Winn

T: David O’Meara

Won at Ripon (1m, soft; Barley was second) last July off a mark 8lb higher than today's but he's struggled since; others have stronger claims.

25/1

6th

8

(8)

29th Jun 2026

Good

1m 0f 6y

Class 4

16:00 Pontefract

Cosmos Raj

9st 4lb

J: Mark Winn

T: David O’Meara

12-time winner; creditable second in this race in 2022 and 2025 but on both occasions he was in better form at the time; out of sorts since his last success.

20/1

7th

3

(13)

8th Jun 2026

Good To Soft

1m 1f 0y

Class 5

16:53 Carlisle

Cosmos Raj

9st 8lb

J: David Nolan

T: David O’Meara

Gained most recent success off 3lb higher last July, enhancing his good record at Ripon; not in anything like the same form since; difficult to support with confidence.

16/1

Non-runners

Distinction

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £28.70
Straight Forecast £27.47
Tricast £71.13
Trifecta £89.00

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Cosmos Raj

D Express:

Captain Corelli

Daily Mail:

Garden Oasis

The Times:

Volenti

Telegraph:

Paris Lights

The Guardian:

Distinction

Daily Mirror:

Orbaan

RP RATINGS:

Cosmos Raj

TOPSPEED:

Cosmos Raj

POSTDATA:

Cosmos Raj

The Sun:

Cosmos Raj

The Star:

Captain Corelli

Daily Record:

Garden Oasis