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You might all need to indulge me a bit with this one as it’s not the sort of contest which normally makes it into this folder.
But it’s a race I love and it does form part of ITV Racing’s coverage next Saturday.
I first saw it in 1977, it was staged at a Wednesday evening fixture in those days, and as a 14yo going racing on a school night, I was in the cheapest course enclosure on the inside when Trackalady sprung a surprise.
It was the giddy heights of the Silver Ring the following year when Devon Ditty won.
She went on to be placed in the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot, won the Cherry Hinton at Newmarket, the Lowther at York, the other time I saw her myself she won the Flying Childers at Doncaster and she then won the Cheveley Park.
But she wouldn’t be the best ever winner of the race – that has to be subsequent 1,000 Guineas winner Attraction.
Beverley’s stiff dog-leg 5f is well known for its big low number stall bias, I used to run round the track every Sunday morning, starting at the 5f gate, and not only is the inside the shortest route the ground falls away if you’re drawn wide and you face a steeper climb too.
I cannot emphasis how testing it is for the minimum trip – in fact no horse ever broke a minute for 5f on the Westwood until the Beverley Bullet two years ago, and I felt lucky to be there to witness it as by lucky chance I made on a nostalgic journey back there the day Tis Marvellous achieved the feat.
The entries won’t be made until tomorrow and of course the final field and draw (most significant in handicaps but could still be a factor if it’s tight here) won’t be known until Monday.
But it often takes a decent 2yo filly to win this race and, on a relatively quiet Saturday between The Derby and Royal Ascot week, I will be giving the race some focus.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"I always think of Rapid Lad at Beverley .
I think it was the same time Al Amead cleaned up regularly at Lingfield .Rapid Lad was certainly a force in 1m2f handicaps on the Westwood in his day.
The itinerant cows wandering all over the place outside the track and in the open car park, the Distance Post, memories!
Entries this afternoon – can’t wait!
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"Only been to Beverley the once , over 30 years ago . Clare Balding rode a winner that day Casual Flash ,i do remember seeing the livestock roaming . A course id like to get back to one day .
One of the best horses to run at Beverley was Gunner B trained by Beverley trainer G.Toft and winning mile handicap think it was the race Jackson’s bakery sponsored In a racing career which lasted from May 1975 until October 1978 he contested thirty-three races, winning fourteen times, finishing second five times and third seven times. Originally trained in Yorkshire, he won twice as a two-year-old in 1975 before becoming a highly successful handicapper in the following season, when he won the Cecil Frail Handicap, Andy Capp Handicap and the Doonside Cup. He won three races in 1977 including the Group Three Diomed Stakes but appeared to have been well-exposed as a tough, consistent horse who was some way below the best. After joining the stable of Henry Cecil in 1978, however, he emerged as a genuinely top-class horse winning the Earl of Sefton Stakes, Brigadier Gerard Stakes, Prince of Wales’s Stakes, Eclipse Stakes and Valdoe Stakes as well as finishing second in the Benson and Hedges Gold Cup and third in the Champion Stakes. After his
I remember Gunner B well – sad that Geoff Toft lost him, but no denying Henry Cecil achieved more with the horse.
IIRC it was the Welbred Handicap over 1m (both 7f and 1m races were later extended after it was decided 7f contests were starting too close to the bend out of the back straight) for 3yo, ironically run in those days on the Friday evening before the Eclipse in July.
Decent handicap hurdler Flying Diplomat was trained by Alf Smith in Beverley too and I saw both Sea Pigeon and a then 3yo Badsworth Boy race on the Flat there, ditto Within The Law and No Bombs.
I’m pretty sure Night Nurse once ran there too.
16 entries for Saturday and a trio that immediately catch my eye are Relief Rally, already a winner at Windsor and Salisbury, Midnight Affair, runner up on debut in a Maiden at the Newmarket Guineas meeting, and Ziggy’s Phoenix, winner of the Lily Agnes at the Chester May meeting and fourth in a Listed contest at Chantilly only yesterday.
There are six other previous winners among the entries.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"Was there myself when Sea Pigeon got beat in amateurs race ridden by owners son also another horse I saw there was White Muzzle placed in King George and Arc Di Triomphe for a small course there been some class horses running there remember Snowy gray the trainers stables just as you started up the hill happy days always a good atmosphere at the Hilary Needler on the Wednesday night
I remember that Sea Pigeon race well
Just how far did the owner’s son get behind Julie Cecil on IIRC Golden River?
Looked the better part of a furlong to me!
I think Sea Pigeon was beaten about six lengths in the end after making up a colossal amount of ground from an impossible position.
Getting back to Hilary Needler night, I 100% agree – always a great atmosphere that Wednesday night.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"Nine declared, including four previous winners.
Ziggy’s Phoenix, dual winner (including the Lily Agnes at Chester) and a Chantilly Listed contest fourth, sets the bar, but Midnight Affair is nicely-bred, shaped well at Newmarket and could be favourite.
Stall 6 isn’t great, but in a nine-runner non handicap, it’s of slightly less relevance.
Looking forward to seeing the betting.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"11/8 Midnight Affair a little tight so I’d be incline to play the Hannon horse Ziggy Phoenix at 4/1
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I think I agree – she’s clocked the better time too (though admittedly she’s had four times as many chances to).
That said, 11/8 might be as big as Midnight Angel is going to be.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"Never fear won first time out over 6f, making all. She was up against colts as well. If she can do the same again dropped down to 5f then erm great. 15/2 was fair.
Rather boringly, I think the favourite is the most likely winner and I think the original 11/8, as predicted, is long gone.
Ziggy’s Phoenix might be the “value” alternative.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"I thought Midnight Affair won well, considering her inexperience and less than ideal draw, and that she can go to even better things.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"
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