Fine front-running ride by James Doyle sees Radiant Beauty land Pontefract's Listed Weatherbys Pipalong Stakes

Breaking smartly under jockey James Doyle, the winner was on the sharp end throughout the one-mile contest and struck for home four furlongs out.

She looked in command reaching the furlong pole but Andrew Mullen was eating up the ground on Ben Haslam’s horse and pressed her all the way, but Radiant Beauty saw it out gamely to prevail by a neck – thanks to Doyle’s fine front-running effort.

Another Middleham horse, Charlie Johnston’s 11-4 favourite Arisaig was a length further back in third for former champion jockey Jamie Spencer, with Adrian Keatley’s Mostar Dreams (33-1), fourth for Mikey Sheehy.

Winning rider Doyle said: “She showed a really tough attitude to hold on at the line and expertly trained by James Owen, who is doing great things.

"I thought that today’s set-up would suit her. She is quite a freegoing mare who can sometimes do a little bit too much.

“It is quite tricky here at Pontefract with them turning and turning and I felt that helped her to relax and she saved energy on them turns.”

Doyle has won both times he has ridden the five-year-old and said: “We came here hoping that she could win and get that Black Type for her pedigree going forward and it was nice to win.”

Radiant Beauty also earned connections nearly £27,000 for winning the race as she bounced back from a disappointing run at the Kensington Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

It was her fourth win for trainer Owen, who added: “The aim today was to get black type and now that’s done we can go have some fun and chase some prize-money.

“There’s no plan but she could do anything and is a horse we could travel with.

"I think France might suit her later in the season.”

The other main race of the day on a warm and sunny afternoon was the six-furlong Pontefract Park Silver Sprint Trophy Handicap, which went to veteran sprinter Badri (5-2) who claimed the 14th victory of his career in fine style under Jason Hart.

Mick Herrington’s nine-year-old went to post early in a rich vein of form, bidding for a third win in four races, having won at Pontefract last time out and Redcar at the end of May.

The late money came for David O’Meara’s Dark Cloud Rising (2-1 fav) but once the race got underway there only looked to be one winner, as Hart got his mount swiftly away and led throughout.

At the furlong pole Badri pulled further clear to claim a four-and-half-length success over the chasing Doyle and Garfield Shadow (5-1), with the favourite third.

Earlier, there was an audible groan at the end of the first race, the Wakefield Thornes Cricket Club Nursery over six furlongs, as the well-supported favourite, Poppy Foxy (11-10) and Kieren Shoemark were chinned on the line by Malton handler Brian Ellison’s Fasthope (13-2) and Cam Hardie, with Haslam’s Spirit of Mary (11-1) and Mullen third.

And it was similar outcome in the second race, the Noel John Curtin Memorial Maiden Stakes over ten furlongs, as Norton handler Keatley’s Steel Raven (8-1) got up to deny another well-backed favourite Tiernan (6-5) for Paul Mulrennan and trainer Iain Jardine.

Joanna Mason did reward favourite backers in the Pontefract Squash And Leisure Club Handicap as she kept Dubai Venture (9-4) up to his work to score by nearly two lengths over Paul Midgley’s Jedhi Knight (17-2).

Middleham trainer Ed Bethell’s Welbury piloted by Danny Tudhope took the penultimate Go Racing Bet With Jayne Handicap over a mile and Westow handler Midgley bagged the finale Tallbaldybloke Three Score And Ten Birthday Handicap, over the shortest distance, with Hover On The Wind (11-4) and jockey David Nolan.

Meanwhile, Nicky Henderson’ stable star Constitution Hill will not run in the Sky Bet Ebor Handicap at York later this summer.

Hopes were high that the former National Hunt Grade 1-winning superstar would take his place in Europe’s richest handicap on the Knavesmire on August 22.

After switching to the all-waether following a disappointing end to his jumps career, the 2023 Champion Hurdle winner needed one more run to meet the entry criteria for the £500,000 race.

The Seven Barrows handler had suggested last week that timing that required run could prove tricky and although initially entering Constitution Hill for the Ebor on Tuesday, his name was missing from the final listings after the 12pm deadline.

Henderson told the Press Association: “He’s 100 per cent fine and we did put him in but then I just wanted to talk to Michael (Buckley, owner) as we were always unsure we would do that as we never really had the time to get the third run into him.

“He would be ready for the Ebor but he would not be ready to have a race before the Ebor that he needed. It was always going to be touch and go, but he’s in good shape.”

Nine-year-old Constitution Hill’s only current entry is in the Irish St Leger at the Curragh on September 13.

Catterick stages a six-race card this afternoon from 2pm with the concluding feature Racing Again 15th July Fillies' Handicap at 4.30.