I travelled across from Sheffield and the route is virtually all motorway as such for me it's a pretty easy run. Beverley itself is an intersting town with a smart bit of archetecture in the form of a minster built around 700 in the main of gothic style. Worth a look from the outsideif you have time.
First issue which sent alarm bells ringing was a sign around about a mile from the track saying it was an all ticket event and all tickets in all enclosures had been sold. That was a shock to me because for a meeting almost entirely consisting of class 5 and 6 events did not shout buy in advance. Of course I didn't buy in advance so dilema number one ; should I turn back. Well I am going to the races at Beverley and thats that.
So I parked up and walked down towards town about half an hour before the first. Touts were flogging tickets at twice face value so I was adamant I was not going to pay such an amount for such poor fare. The crowd was massive, it was a ladies day and there were throngs of people walking up from Beverley town, quite impressive particularly as it was absolutely chucking it down for most of the day. The first great result for me was that I managed to drop a tenner from my pocket and a very honest young man in a group of friends picked it up called me and gave it back. In the light of the current anti youth feelings from old gits like me this was a little gesture, but to me significant sign that this new generation may not be rotten to the core as commentators seem to think. A serious plus for the day.
At the three furlong pole there is a gate into a field which gives a view of racing. Despite not having a ticket I still managed to get a free and at that sort of price not an unreasonable spot for the first. However soon after the race had past me and made its way down the home straigh,t a herd of cattle suddenly entered the enclosure I was in, some looked a bit menacing, some had some serious feck off horns and all of them were deficating on the move. Clearly I was in their sh$tehouse at dumping hour. I made my excuses and left.
Never trust something with sharp horns and a tonne of gristle when you are in their sh$tehouse
Between the first two races I had a walk back to the main grandstand. Checked that the touts were now down to face value. Not bad but I could see they had quite a few 'spares' left for sale and not many punters. Therefore supply and demand means I am sure the price will come down if I leave it for a couple of races. Things were looking up. I then coould see that the entry to the centre of the course meant a good view on the old freemans zone down to the furlong pole. So if the price didn't come down as yet for the main grandstand at least I had a good vantage point to see the entertainmnet for the day.
After the second race I checked the tout market, still face. On taht news I then thought best have a scout round. During this pottering in the by now pissistent rain I found a score in the gutter. It was not clear who it belonged to, there was virtually no-one around so I thought I was justified in picking it up. A young girl saw mw pick it up and said how lucky I was. I thought at the time that I would have preferred to have an obvious recipient following the earlier incident where I had a lost tenner returned. It was an up for me financially but in a funny way I felt a bit guilty.
As this shot captured the rain did give way to a fine mist which was almost like being lightly doused with angels tears
So I returned to my new viewing place for the third. Here I saw a ocuple of lads who could not understand why they couldn't pay to get into the centre of the course despite it being clear that the centre was not teaming with people as the weather conditions had persuaded people to stay in town. They watched the race from the freemans enclosure where I was before they were last seen trudging off to town. It was not in my view a great advert for the game as I cannot understand why more people could not have been allowed in the cheap enclosure. I am sure there will some talk of safety limits but I for one could not see packed areas bursting at the seams.
Straight out of the 'Its more than my jobs worth to let you two drowned lads into the half empty course enclosure on the grounds (inevitably) of H and S so feck off back down town'
Back to check on the tout market. It's down to a fiver for the premier enclosure, time to buy it won't get any cheaper and the touts looked like drwoned rats and I think the white flag was up. The price would not go down any further so I availed myself and just caught the fourth.
Racing
Symptematic of the day due to the rain leading to testing ground there were a few absentees in the opening claimer over seven and a bit furlongs. Mark Anthony tried to make all and was clear coming into the straight but folded. He has some decent form over six and I am not sure he stays. If he gets fastish ground and stuck over six his 67 mark (which I suppose could come down on the basis of his detatched finishing place) is a winning one. So I have him as a bit of a positive. The fast pace played right into the hands of favourite Bolodanka whose stamina and clear preference for a mile was ideal for today's race. I think this was a touch fortunate and I doubt he will be so lucky so that marks him down as a neagative in my mind. The rest of the field were caught flatfooted and when ridden could not quicken so difficult to make any serious comments about them. Certainly not on the positive.
Leading pair at around three out
Backmarker detatched and hopeless as well as conveniently identity masked by poor photography
The seven and a bit furlong maidens was won by 25/1 outsider Swift Encounter who built on an encouoraging Redcar debut and battled on well to win after an awkward start he made headway at the two to get close up and then came through strngly to lead near the line. He appears to prefer a cut in the ground but I have some dooubts that he will be able to step up to handicapping. Venturs Spirit ran well to be second. Cost 70k and is nicely bred suited to this sort of mile trip. Tried to make all and showed resolution being just nutted out of it. I think he has a good chance over this sort of trip but I think better ground would help. Gahlaa was a short priced favurite and had a good chance a quarter mile out but did not stay on in these cnditions. Ran well if very green on debut to finish second but today was very dissappointing. I think this Mark Johnson horse is much better than this and on better ground will win a maiden and I make him the main positive from this race.
Exciting finish as amny in with a chance coming into the final furlong
The two year old auction stakes over five furlongs was won by Key Ambition who showed a decent turn of foot in these conditions to put this race to bed in the final quarter mile. The field was well strung out and this juvenille was a reasnable winner although I have dounts as to the quality of this race. Backed down favourite Baltic Bomber was well beaten and lacks protential well exposed so even an effort in nursury level can be viewed too optimistically and I have him down as a negative on that basis.
Out of the Humberside gloom came some horses as the drizzle pissistantly turned elegant ladies day frocks into something almost destressingly vulgar
The ckass 5 handicap over five furlongs was a competitive afair with amny in with a chance late on. Caranbola won the race when the wall of horses all tried to qiucken it took him a bit of time to get into stride but he got going and just led inside the last 100 yeards. The secconfd and third home respectively Hajees and Sleepy Blue Ocean who are consitent sorts and often do well at this level. However there were two other runners today worth noting, sands Of Dee had to switch around for space and came dwn the stands side. Suits soft ground but is better suited by a straight track like Hamilton and/or back over six. Ihave him down as a positive given he races on the right going and he gets down a bit from today's 71 mark (has won off 67). Also of note was the six year old Ingleby Star who was prominent for much but just couldnt quicken in soft. I think his 62 AW mark is tempting and he has won at Wolvo so I have him as my noteworthy and on this occassion positive to take from tis race.
The grade 4 handicap was the big race of the meeting and was racedd over ten furlongs was won by Ailsa Craig who beat favourite Licence To Thrill in a tight battle up the home straight. The pair were clear. They both ran well but my positive goes to the Johnson trained 15/8 fav. Has run very well on fastish ground, is on a winning turf mark of 81 and I think he is better carrying lightweights in class 2s (he has some good form including a 10f win at Ponte in class 2) and today he would not have been suited especially by the ground, was top weight with nearly ten stone. He is entirely genuine and in good heart at the moment so I think another win for this four year old to break his seasonal duck is on the card. He is a positive.
Carragold won the class 5 handicap over one mile two furlongs.He won well enough and has been successful two of last three runs with the defeat over a too short a trip seven furlongs. Not sure has much scope, Of more interest is the runner up Philharmonic Hall who found plenty of trouble having to switch when not much room, In the circumstances did well. I thin this three year old is on a fair mark but is better tried over shy of this trip as on running and pedigree I am nt sure he stays. Old stager Hurlingham appears on a handy mark and if often close up (was third today and I saw him run soound fourth at Musselburgh) this should mark him as ne to keep a bit of an eye on at the least. My view is that he has had plenty of chances but is just not up to winning races any more and I have to say I am a bit on the negative side to be honest.
We ened the day with a divided Class 6 one and a half mile handicap. The first division had a tight finish with fivve in with chances late on and the winner Ferny Boy benefited by coming stand side which seamed in general to have the better ground today. A five year old maiden I think was lucky today and I cannot see him shouldering successfully a penalty and even a 3 pound hike by the assessor will be more than enough to anchor him. I have him as a negative. Maybeene was second beatnen less than a length but 27 runs and still a maiden shows that this was no great shakes as a race and this marfe can be watched without worry as unlikely to win. Favurite at 9/4 was the three year old Kims Delight who finished a not totally out of it fifth. His mark of 57 is one he can win off and looking at his form he will benefit from good ground and I think he ahs a great chance of winning in this class when underfoot conditions suit.
The other division was wn much quicker than the first division and very easily by Grey Command. This horse cmes out as a positive but I am worried as to where his mark will go. Suits this trip and has run up a Wolvo hat-trick. Is on a fair AW mark and I would took to back him next run particularly if it is soon and on the poly. Of the rest watch out for Operareur when he goes fr a juvenille hurdle as ran fine and clearly in good heart and had run well at Sedgefield on hurdle debut a few weeks ago. Favourite Kodicil looks like he s on a good mark but best returning to 1,2 as I am not convinced he stayed this trip. Runner up Politbureau ran ok staying on strongly and clearly stays this trip but probably met a well handicapped opponent today.
Notebook
Boladanka (N)£22.50 up
1 4/6 0 0 4
Won a soft one and then was easily dispatched in three races. I think will be warmed up for a shot over hurdles soon. However we're ahead on this one and will fold.
Ghalaa (P) £10 down
2
Much improved on second run when a 2l runner up here. Capable of a 3yo mdn next year on fastish ground
Baltic Bomber (N) £20 up
0 4
Well btn but mark has now come down a lot and would not be wanting to lay fancy odds first time up next season so I will shelve
Ingleby Star (P) £95 up
3 1 6/1 1 9/2
Fair third followeed by two good wins. Mark on turf then up to 80 which appeared too high. Yet to appear again on sand I will keep him lve for such a chance as I think sand OR is still tempting
Licence To Thrill (P) up £60
3 0 3 0 1 4/1 1 5/1
Nezxt three runs were on softish ground (backed when I should have known better) then a runover an inadequate 9f (left alone) . Bounced back on the AW at Dundalk (11k race over 10f and then a good ground victory at York. Owes me nothing