The feature race on Saturday is The Beverley Bullet Stakes. A fast and furious dash up a five furlong course notorious for its stiff uphill finish, some of the classiest sprinters around will be heading to Beverley to battle it out in the thrilling highlight on the racecourse’s richest raceday.
Eleven runners line up for the £34,026 first prize and here is a runner-by-runner guide to all their chances.
Mr Lupton
Richard Fahey’s Mr Lupton, ninth in the Nunthorpe, has also been handed top weight for this prestigious prize, which features plenty of strong representation from the host county of Yorkshire.
The five-year-old has been pitched in at the deep end on most of his runs this season with his best result coming at York, where he beat Alpha Delphini, Muthmir, El Astronaute and Take Cover , in that order, to win the City Walls Stakes.
Another win at York back in May at the Dante meeting proves that the joint-highest rated (109) runner in the field should not be underestimated.
Final Venture
Final Venture ran a terrific race at York last week when a neck second to El Astronaute and comes into this race with another live chance.
In 2016 he was fourth to Alpha Delphini and he was second to Take Cover last year, despite a wide draw hampering his chances somewhat. Things look a little more favourable this year for Paul Midgley’s front runner.
Foolaad
The Roy Bowring-trained Foolaad was last seen finishing mid-pack in the Great St.Wilfrid Handicap at Ripon.
Nine wins from 28 career starts is an impressive record and he should be more at home on Saturday in a smaller field and has been given a favourable draw.
His Pontefract victory over El Astronaute in April reads well in the context of what that horse has achieved this season.
Line Of Reason
Line Of Reason finished runner-up in this Listed sprint in 2015 and will be competing in the Bullet on Saturday for a fifth time.
The Westow trainer- Paul Midgley is responsible for three of the eleven runners as he bids to take the race for the first time.
Mirza
A veteran performer who retains plenty of ability as his third-place finish to Judicial at Sandown in July showed.
The Rae Guest-trained eleven-year-old just failed by a neck to Pearl Secret in this Listed sprint in 2014 and will be looking for some kind of redemption.
Mirza has won 11 of his 68career starts which includes two decent Group Three wins at Longchamp.
Campaigned carefully this season, the old boy should not be underestimated.
Mythmaker
Breaking from the one stall this year is Bryan Smart's Mythmaker, a consistent sort that seems to thrive in conditions races although he is 0/8 at Listed level.
He is however a solid operator who arrives here fresh after a 42-day break.
Bryan Smart is no stranger to winning this race after winning it in 2016 with Alpha Delphini.
Take Cover
David Griffiths' stable veteran may have been around the block a bit but he proved he can still mix it with the younger sprinters when he landed the Mercury Stakes at Dundalk last October.
Last season he was still running against the likes of Lady Aurelia in the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot and this is very much an easier race.
He won this race last season but his draw this year is not as favourable and he could be susceptible to something making a quick break up the rail.
Tanasoq
A one stage this season Tanasoq was chasing a five-timer after a superb run of four victories which included taking in the valuable Epsom “Dash”.
That run came to an end with a defeat by stable mate Tarboosh at Hamilton, before the five-year-old was beaten into eleventh place at York behind El Astronaute.
Whether his exertions this season have finally caught up with him remains to be seen but it is always dangerous to write off any Paul Midgley-trained sprinters.
Elnadim Star
Elnadim Star bids to give Kevin Ryan his first Beverley Bullet success this weekend.
The chestnut filly will be racing against her elders in this contest but she has twice been victorious at Beverley as a two-year-old and this race is a natural progression for her.
Owned by Jaber Abdullah, Elnadim looks a worthy adversary against her older rivals.
Short Call
This three-year-old filly was previously trained by Mick Channon who saddled her to win on debut, and then finish third at Bath.
Now trained by Rebecca Menzies, the filly returns to the track after an absence of 441-days.
It’s an audacious entry from her Worsall Grange Stud owners but as with all races, you’ve got to be in it, to win it.
Tricksy Spirit
Trained by Mick Channon, this is another filly who is going to have to produce the performance of her fledgling career to trouble the older horses in this quick Listed contest.
Successful in a 5f sprint at Bath in May, she does not look the likeliest of candidates to lower the flags of the older horses but she does get a useful pull in the weights.
Conclusion
It may sound like madness but I really do fancy the three oldest horses in the field to be involved in the finish.
I shall be taking the spritely Mirza (nap) to just get the better of Take Cover and Line Of Reason in a bunched finish on the line.
888sport suggests: Mirza (e/w).
*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*
