Beverley is set to stage an eight-race Flat programme on Tuesday, September 22, with the action beginning at 1:30pm and continuing until 5:35pm. The turf card features a mixture of handicap, novice and conditions races, with contests covering distances from five furlongs to one mile and one furlong. Horses aged two and above are represented across the programme, with several races providing opportunities for younger runners to gain further experience.
The afternoon begins at 1:30pm with the Churchill Tyres Apprentice Handicap Stakes, a Class 6 contest over one mile, one furlong and 207 yards. Open to horses aged three and above, the race carries £7,650 in prize money and is restricted to runners rated between 46 and 55. As an apprentice event, the race will also place emphasis on the riders’ ability to manage their mounts around Beverley’s turf course over the extended mile distance.
The second race at 2:05pm is the Old Gravel Pits Lodges EBF Novice Stakes, a Class 3 event over one mile and 100 yards for two-year-olds. The race is worth £12,000 and is designated as a GBB/GBBPLUS race. With only two-year-olds eligible, the contest brings together developing horses at an important stage of their early careers. The additional 100 yards beyond a mile will provide a test of their ability to maintain their pace over the closing stages.
At 2:40pm, the programme moves to the Christmas Parties R Us Restricted Novice Stakes, a Class 5 contest over five furlongs for two-year-olds. The race carries £8,000 in prize money and is restricted to horses in Bands A, B, C and D. The five-furlong distance is likely to place emphasis on early pace and the ability to settle quickly into the race, while the field’s limited experience makes this an interesting contest for developing sprinters.
The feature race of the Beverley afternoon takes place at 3:15pm, when the Eddie and Violet Smith Conditions Stakes brings together seven runners over five furlongs. The Class 2 contest is open to horses aged three and above and carries the day’s highest prize of £20,000.
The field includes a number of experienced sprinters. A nine-year-old gelding trained by Michael Herrington for RJH Ltd and Mr D Padgett has a BHA Rating of 99 and carries 10st 1lb. His recent record includes a course-and-distance success, reflected by the CD notation in his form.
Jakajaro, a five-year-old gelding trained by Robert Cowell for Mrs Fitri Hay, has a BHA Rating of 108 and carries 9st 13lbs. His record includes several notable efforts, while his previous experience over sprint distances adds to his credentials.
Another runner rated 108 is Jm Jungle, a six-year-old gelding trained by John and Sean Quinn. He carries 9st 12lbs and has also previously won over the Beverley course and distance. Toca Madera, trained by David O’Meara, is a five-year-old gelding rated 94 and carrying 9st 8lbs. His recent form contains several competitive performances over sprint trips.
Ain’t Nobody, a four-year-old gelding trained by Kevin Ryan, is rated 99 and carries 9st 5lbs. Opal Storm, a six-year-old mare trained by Brian Rothwell, has a BHA Rating of 54 and carries 9st. She also has a previous course-and-distance success in her record. The field is completed by three-year-old filly Wor Faayth, trained by Brian Ellison and carrying 8st 13lbs with a BHA Rating of 91.
The fourth race provides a strong mixture of established sprinting experience and different levels of recent form, with the £20,000 prize making it the principal event on the eight-race programme.
Racing continues at 3:50pm with the John Allinson 90th Birthday Handicap Stakes, a Class 6 contest over five furlongs for three-year-olds. The race is worth £8,150 and has a rating range of 46-60. Six runners are listed for the contest.
The field includes a pair of runners rated 60. A gelding trained by Tim Easterby carries 9st 9lbs, while Black Missile, trained by Julie Camacho and ridden by Tom Kiely-Marshall, also has a BHA Rating of 60 and carries 9st 9lbs. Battenburg Belle, a three-year-old filly trained by Rebecca Menzies, is rated 57 and carries 9st 6lbs. Her recent record includes a sequence of three victories.
Go Victor, a gelding trained by Tony Culhane and Stella Barclay, is also rated 57 and carries 9st 6lbs. Dinamo, a three-year-old filly trained by Tina Jackson, has a BHA Rating of 50 and carries 8st 13lbs. The field is completed by Sparkling Wine, trained by Michael Dods, who is rated 45 and carries 8st 9lbs.
The 4:25pm race is the first division of the Fango Handicap Stakes, a Class 4 contest over seven furlongs and 75 yards. Open to horses aged three and above, the race is worth £10,650 and is restricted to runners rated between 61 and 80. The division format means that the race forms part of a two-part handicap sequence, with the second division scheduled later in the afternoon.
The second division of the Fango Handicap Stakes is scheduled for 5:00pm. Like the first division, it is a Class 4 race over seven furlongs and 75 yards for horses aged three and above. It also carries £10,650 in prize money and has the same rating range of 61-80. The two divisions give a broad group of horses an opportunity to compete over Beverley’s intermediate seven-furlong trip.
The final race of the day is scheduled for 5:35pm, the End of Season Handicap Stakes, a Class 6 contest over one mile and 100 yards for three-year-olds. The race carries £7,650 and is open to horses rated between 46 and 65. Eleven runners are listed, making it the largest supplied field on the Beverley card.
The opening runner is a three-year-old filly trained by Richard Hannon for Mr Des Anderson. She has a BHA Rating of 65 and carries 9st 9lbs. Turtle Reef, trained by Hugo Palmer, is also rated 65 and carries 9st 9lbs. Amber Hamur, a three-year-old filly trained by Edward Bethell, shares the same rating and weight and has previous winning form over the distance.
Blue Mantle, trained by Charlie Johnston, is another runner rated 65 and carries 9st 9lbs. Elizabetty, trained by Brian Ellison, has a BHA Rating of 64 and carries 9st 8lbs. She is joined by Buckland Belle, a three-year-old filly trained by Ollie Sangster, rated 63 and carrying 9st 7lbs. Buckland Belle’s recent record includes several victories and a course-distance success.
Only Dream Big, trained by Tim Easterby, has a BHA Rating of 62 and carries 9st 6lbs. Snaafy, trained by David Loughnane, is rated 61 and carries 9st 5lbs, while Dalamara, trained by Ben Haslam, has a BHA Rating of 60 and carries 9st 4lbs.
The remaining runners are Horwich, a gelding trained by Ruth Carr, who is rated 59 and carries 9st 3lbs, and Itszaboy, trained by Nigel Tinkler. The latter has a BHA Rating of 50 and carries 8st 8lbs, giving him the lightest weight in the field.
Overall, Beverley’s Tuesday programme offers a varied eight-race turf schedule featuring sprint races, mile contests and handicaps over intermediate distances. The programme begins with an apprentice handicap before moving through novice events and a conditions race, followed by a series of handicaps that will bring the afternoon to a close.
The Eddie and Violet Smith Conditions Stakes at 3:15pm, worth £20,000, stands as the highest-prize contest on the card. Its five-furlong distance brings together several experienced sprinters, including runners with previous course-and-distance form. The later races provide further opportunities for three-year-olds and older horses across seven furlongs and one mile.
With eight races spread across just over four hours, Beverley’s September 22 meeting combines developing two-year-olds with experienced handicappers and established sprint performers. The different distances and race classifications should provide a varied afternoon of Flat racing on the Beverley turf.
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