The Beverley Bullet, a Listed race run over 5f at Beverley in late summer, is always a spectacle and few meetings will be better attended this weekend or enjoyed with the same enthusiasm.
Beverley is the only racecourse in East Yorkshire so has a huge catchment area. The city of Hull spreads out below The Westwood, the moor and parkland on which Beverley racecourse sits, and ‘The Bullet’ is one of the track’s big races of the year. The beer will be flowing but this is also a venue for families and, with fine weather forecast, the inner enclosures will be full.
Beverley Bullet Sprint Stakes History and Trends
The Beverley Bullet is a comparatively new race – it was first staged in 2004 – but it’s already been won by some very speedy sprinters including old warriors Borderlescott, Tangerine Trees – who went on to land the Prix de l’Abbaye – and Pearl Secret three years ago.
Remarkably, 11 of the last 13 winners had been unplaced on their previous start but that wasn’t the case with last year’s winner, Alpha Delphini, who had won his previous two.
| totescoop6 Beverley Bullet Sprint Stakes – Previous Winners | ||||||||||
| YEAR | HORSE | Age | Weight | FORM | TRAINER | JOCKEY | Runners | Rating | SP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Alpha Delphini | 5 | 9-0 | 5-15311 | B Smart | Connor Beasley | 10 | 96 | 13/2 | |
| 2015 | Maarek | 8 | 9-0 | 40-3425 | Miss E McCutcheon | Jamie Spencer | 13 | 110 | 5/1 | |
| 2014 | Pearl Secret | 5 | 9-0 | 9/3-1820 | T D Barron | Jamie Spencer | 7 | 113 | 2/1 | |
| 2013 | Stepper Point | 4 | 9-0 | 508331 | W R Muir | Martin Dwyer | 15 | 104 | 10/1 | |
| 2012 | Borderlescott | 10 | 9-0 | 524629 | R Bastiman | Freddie Tylicki | 14 | 102 | 8/1 | |
| 2011 | Tangerine Trees | 6 | 9-7 | 411-100 | B Smart | Tom Eaves | 10 | 107 | 10/1 | |
| 2010 | Mister Hughie | 3 | 8-12 | 3F7940 | M R Channon | Sam Hitchcott | 11 | 105 | 7/1 | |
| 2009 | Exceptional Art | 3 | 8-12 | 211 | D Nicholls | Franny Norton | 15 | 97 | 16/1 | |
| 2008 | Look Busy | 3 | 8-11 | 416 | A Berry | Slade O’Hara | 8 | 104 | 11/2 | |
| 2007 | Hellvelyn | 3 | 8-12 | 24-8 | B Smart | Ted Durcan | 12 | 112 | 4/1 | |
| 2006 | Baltic King | 6 | 9-0 | 150 | H Morrison | Kevin Darley | 12 | 112 | 4/1 | |
| 2005 | Chookie Heiton | 7 | 8-12 | 203 | I Semple | Tom Eaves | 10 | 106 | 7/1 | |
| 2004 | Chookie Heiton | 6 | 8-12 | 500 | I Semple | Tom Eaves | 11 | 98 | 40/1 | |
Three-year-olds hold their own in this Listed race but none from that age bracket have been successful since 2010, though one was second 12 months ago. The Wagon Wheel is the only representative of the classic generation this year. One trend that is consistent concerns the draw. A low draw can be a huge advantage on the sprint course at Beverley as there is a right-hand bend into the straight and the ground slopes away towards the stands which can make it extremely difficult for those drawn high to get balanced and deliver a challenge. No winner has had a double-figure draw in the last six years, Indeed, the last five winners started in stalls 1-4. That’s a worry for last year’s winner Alpha Delphini (stall 11) and Judicial, who starts alongside, though the former’s trainer Bryan Smart has already trained the winner of ‘The Bullet’ three times in its short history and the latter would definitely have a chance at the general 7/1 if able to track across.
Take Cover (a general 5/1) is still devilishly quick when he has fast ground. Though now 10, David Griffiths has never run at Beverley before but has landed a plum draw in stall two from which he should be able to grab the favoured far side rail. There is certainly every chance he’ll be able to hold on to an advantage inside the final furlong, even though he finished behind Final Venture and Alpha Delphini in the Nunthorpe at York last month.
On balance, however, bookmakers may have it just about right by inserting KIMBERELLA as their marginal favourite. The Richard Fahey-trained gelding is still 9/2 with Ladbrokes and, from stall four, should be able to take a nice tow into the race from the front-runners.
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Kimberella beat Judicial over 6f at Chester last month. That’s an easy 6f whereas Beverley is a stiff 5f so the form should be confirmed. The much-improved seven-year-old was only beaten a length by Line Of Reason when conceding 12lb at Musselburgh in June and Paul Hanagan rides this track as well as anyone.
totescoop6 Beverley Bullet Sprint Stakes Best Odds
Kimberella (9/2), Take Cover (5/1), Final Venture (11/2), Judicial (7/1), Alpha Delphini (15/2), Mirza (10/1), Desert Law (14/1), Line Of Reason and Pipers Note (16/1), Go On Go On Go On (20/1), The Wagon Wheel (25/1)
