Beverley Tips: Last year's winner and speedy rival can fight out the Bullet

I’m strongly of the belief that early speed and race positioning are greater factors than a low draw over five furlongs at Beverley. 

Scraping the paint against the far-side rail is certainly no bad thing if you’re on the leader - of course, in that situation you have the best of both worlds - but those in behind who adopt similar tactics can often meet trouble-in-running as they look to switch out while others flash home down the centre of the track. 

As a result, boasting early pace, and therefore the ability to crossover if the opportunity arises, has to be seen as the most important angle when assessing events like the Beverley Bullet. 

The vast majority of speed maps will predict a fast gallop in contests of this nature, but this year’s renewal doesn’t seem to boast as many trailblazers as usual. Perhaps Ainsdale will try to push forward from the inside post, or maybe Tom Eaves will look to cross over from a disadvantageous draw (stall 12) on Alia Choice. No matter whether those circumstances arise, neither horse has enough early zip to match the Mick Appleby-trained King Of Stars.

This grey gelding has been a model of consistency on relatively flat tracks this season - his two disappointments came at the idiosyncratic Epsom and Chester - and you can pretty much rely on him performing to around a mark just north of 100. The probability of that number rising to 105 is dramatically increased by a lack of early pace pressure, which should be the case here.

King Of Stars had to go faster than ideal when last seen in a competitive 22-runner handicap at York’s Ebor Festival ten days ago, but performed admirably from an unfavourable draw in stall 22 (low numbers dominated all week). He was beaten just a short-head by Bergerac, who rode the golden highway against the far-side, and lost considerable ground by drifting across the track when he was left isolated in his group.

Providing that effort has left no ill effects - King Of Stars has performed well off shorter layoffs this year - he has to be a major player from the front under Ali Rawlinson. A 3lb rise in the weights makes life tougher, but it’s certainly not insurmountable.

His biggest danger should come in the form of last year’s winner, Tis Marvellous. Clive Cox’s charge should be shorter than his current price despite failing to hit the frame in either start this season. That’s because he has been tackling much stiffer opposition - firstly in the Group 3 Palace House and, more recently, the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes. There is certainly no Nature Strip or Golden Pal in this event!

Tis Marvellous won last year’s Beverley Bullet with bundles in hand - a three-and-three-quarter-length beating of Justanotherbottle didn’t accurately represent his domination - and Cox has freshened him up since Royal Ascot with this race in mind. He has the early speed to sit just in behind King Of Stars and throw down a challenge late.

Haggas set to plunder northern prize

William Haggas is having a phenomenal year thanks to a talented and deep string that is headed by the fantastic Baaeed. He still has some way to go to surpass his 2021 total of 174 winners, but Haggas currently boasts a 28% strike-rate (his best to date) and is yet to unleash a selection of promising back-end juveniles.

His unprecedented success can be put down to multiple factors, not least the equine talent at his disposal. However, it’s his strategic and careful race-planning that I believe has allowed him to excel over the last two seasons. Haggas always finds the best possible spot for his horses - there are no exceptions. 

Such dedication to the race programme equates to extra mileage, and the Newmarket trainer will prepare a horsebox to send unexposed three-year-old Post Impressionist on the 157-mile journey up the A1 to Beverley for the Silver Cup (2.05). Haggas doesn’t make the trip often, but he’s had great success doing so (26% strike-rate) in his career.

This son of Teofilo made an excellent start to his career by romping home in an Ayr maiden on his second outing, before finishing runner-up to subsequent Group 2 Queen’s Vase winner Eldar Eldarov at Newcastle. 

His last two starts haven’t been as encouraging, but he was far too keen and inexperienced to justify strong market support in the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot, while Chester’s tight turns didn’t seem to suit him last time out. That race developed into a sprint, too, and he’s more of a grinder than quickener.

With a first-time tongue-tie fitted and notably weaker rivals in opposition, Post Impressionist is strongly fancied to return to winning ways under Stevie Donohoe.

Recommended bets

Post Impressionist (2.05 Beverley) @ 3.6
Tis Marvellous (2.40 Beverley) @ 4.6
King Of Stars (2.40 Beverley) @ 10.5