Racing and fashion meet at Pontefract's Ladies Day

Courtesy of RIU Hotels and Resorts, Pontefract Racecourse is offering an all inclusive, week long holiday for two to the Dominican Republic. The prize includes return flights from Manchester. RIU Hotels and Resorts are also providing a fabulous runners’ up prize of a three night break for two to their Gresham hotel in Dublin.

With such prizes on offer, the competition is bound to be fiercely contested! And for the first time in 2018, the racecourse will also have a best dressed gentleman competition with a £350 prize to the winner.

The Heart Angels will be on the lookout for the best dressed racegoers from the minute that the gates open at 12 noon and they will allocate numbered cards to lucky finalists. The judging gets under way for the best dressed gentleman in the Parade Ring at 1pm and then the prestigious best dressed lady competition starts at 1.15pm.

This year, the judging panel will consist of the Heart breakfast show team of Dixie and Emma, along with the national business manager for RIU, Maria Battersby.

The racecourse is urging anyone wishing to be considered for either of the best dressed racegoer competitions to make sure that they arrive early on the day so that they do not miss out. There’s an added incentive to arrive early as the first 500 ladies through the Premier Enclosure entrance will also get a free glass of bubbly and a buttonhole as part of the track’s #Magic500 promotion.

There’s some fantastic action on the track too. The feature race is the £20,000 tiesplanet.com – Ladies Love Guys In Ties Handicap. Aside from being one of the best named races on the racing calendar, it’s also a high class handicap for horses aged three and older with an impressive role of honour including this year’s Stayers Hurdle winner at the Cheltenham Festival, Penhill, who took part in this race in 2015.

Local bookmakers Jayne and Steve Robinson sponsor two races on the card on Ladies Day – a two year old novice race and a handicap for three-year-olds and up. They’ll be on the track on the day offering up the best prices for their races.

There’s a £10,000 bonus on offer to the winner of the two-year-old race, taking the prize money on offer to £20,000.

Sponsors of the best dressed lady competition, RIU hotels and resorts, also sponsor the veterans handicap on the day while the racecourse contract cleaners, Solutions 4 Cleaning, sponsor the opening race on the card for amateur male riders.

With the Park Suite Restaurant, Marquee and Hospitality Boxes already fully booked, racegoers are encouraged to book their admission tickets and badges early. With a small number of ‘Premier Packages’ still available, there’s still the chance to upgrade your Ladies Day out. To book, visit www.pontefract-races.co.uk or ring 01977 781307. Racing gets under way at 2.20pm.