Aasheq a Major Player in Pontefract Feature on Reappearance

The Pontefract flat season gets underway on Tuesday and as ever, there is some great prize money on offer and that has attracted plenty of runners. With over £15,000 to the winner of the feature race on the card, it is no surprise to see a double figure field declared to go to post, including Aasheq from the Tim Easterby yard.

Despite being very competitive and despite being at the very start of the season when the yard’s horses sometimes need a run, trainer Tim Easterby has a fantastic record in the race. He won the race last year with Snoano, and that was his third victory in the past seven years. A win here would take him to four from eight, and if Aasheq is fit enough to do himself justice, then he certainly has the form in the book to go close.

The horse completed a hat trick last summer off lower marks, but after that we saw him run well and go close off higher marks and in better company. He placed off 97, 95 and 94 after his run of three victories, and each of those came in a better race than this one today. Excuses are there for his final couple of runs, those came at the end of a very busy season that saw him run 12 times.

He looks the type that can win again this season off his current mark of 94, and being the representative for the Easterby yard in this race is very interesting. You would imagine that the yard would want a forward, fit horse going to the race as they look to win it again, and that is the only question mark over this runner. If he is in here then to me that is a tip in itself that this horse is ready to run well on his very first start this season, and that makes him of huge interest.