The popular Beverley racecourse would open its doors to racegoers and horse racing personnel alike for the first time in 2024. The season suffered a false start due to the abandonment of its original curtain raiser following heavy rain, but the first fixture of the year was rewarded with a competitive looking meeting which featured many regular visitors and much loved faces. Despite the heavy ground and relatively small field sizes, exciting action at the unique Westwood course would be guaranteed.

Race One: The Ire, It Pays To Buy Irish EBF Fillies' Novice Stakes - Five Furlongs - Class Five - Runners: 8

The first race of 2024 at Beverley looked to be a fascinating contest as this juvenile fillies' event featured many leading stables, well bred horses and a lack of form to delve into. 

The double green silks of owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede were on display with the William Haggas-trained debutante Kallippos. With the assistance of Tom Marquand, she would be worthy of automatic respect due to her connections. Another stable from Newmarket made the journey north as George Boughey's Loving Angel made her debut in the grey silks of owners Bronte Collection and ridden by Dan Tudhope. The first Northern challenger would be Jayvee for the Brian Ellison stable, a yard well known for its juvenile runners and Ben Robinson would be in the saddle. The Nawton stable of Roger Fell and Sean Murray ran their debutante Call Me Harswell, a daughter of Soldier's Call with Jonny Peate riding. Last year's running was won by the Nick Bradley Racing outfit and they were keen for more success at their local track with four runners. Grant Tuer's Indication Ember held the advantage of being the only horse with racing experience after finishing third in the Brocklesby last month, but disappointed a few days ago. Karl Burke introduced Larchill Lass to the racecourse and the daughter of Territories was held in good regard. Another newcomer would be Love Plus One for the Ollie Pears yard and also carried the first colours of the owners which gave a clue into the pecking order. Craig Lidster's filly Stat Goddess completed the quartet of Nick Bradley runners and would be the eighth newcomer of the race.

Winner: JAYVEE (#4) (Dandy Man x Golden Salute) - B. Robinson - B. Ellison

With such a high volume of newcomers in the race, parade ring studying would be all the more important here. The horses behaved well enough and despite a few getting on their toes with eagerness, all eight runners made it to the starting stalls without issue. The fillies obliged with the stalls handlers to enter their gate and racing on the Westwood would be underway for 2024.

Just a couple of runners were slow to start but none more so than Love Plus One, who was already on the back foot at the rear of the pack. The pair drawn on the outside, Call Me Harswell and Kallippos, were quick to move across to the inside rail and they would press each other in the early stages. The keen going Loving Angel, Stat Goddess and Jayvee were never far from the pace as Larchill Lass would make her move late.
Entering the final stages, Call Me Harswell continued to show bright early speed as Kallippos looked very inexperienced on her debut. It briefly looked like the early leader would hold on, but the blue silks of Jayvee emerged on the scene and the newcomer showed a sharp change of gear to come out on top and score. Larchill Lass would catch the eye by finishing second, just in front of Call Me Harswell and the one-paced Stat Goddess.

The first race at Beverley would go to a Yorkshire trainer as Brian Ellison saddled his second juvenile winner of the season. A daughter of the late Dandy Man, Jayvee has a pedigree filled with speed. She is out of Golden Salute, a dual winner as a two-year-old and from the further family of the smart Victory Angel, a former Beverley winner. Showing a good attitude and nice turn of pace, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Jayvee compete at a higher level this year. 

Race Two: The Happy Birthday Andy Hill Handicap - Five Furlongs - Class Four - Runners: 11

The second race of the afternoon would also be one of the features on the racecard. A sprint handicap over the minimum trip which included many talented and well travelled horses. No less than four previous winners at Beverley made the return to the Westwood for another shot at victory.

The weights were headed by Zaman Jamil, trained by Sean and John Quinn. The four year old appeared to be out of form, but he had competed at a much higher level recently and was looking to take advantage of this easier grade. Nigel Tinkler's Lakota Blue is a smart three time winner and has also won on all kinds of ground conditions. The Richard Fahey-trained Dare To Dream has acquitted himself well in good company in the past and won at class two level in August. He began his third season with hopes of climbing back up the ladder. Elegant Erin was the first of the previous course and distance winners and often goes well on softened ground. Paul Midgley's mare had begun to come into form on her last few starts. David O'Meara's Soul Seeker won at Beverley last season as part of a profitable summer, but would appear to prefer quicker ground conditions than the ones he was facing here. The much loved trainer Mick Easterby saddled Miss Brazen in this contest with granddaughter Jo Mason in the saddle. The four year filly won here impressively on May Day last year before finishing second at Epsom on the Derby undercard. Yorkshire legend Copper Knight made his return to the track for his eighth season. Tim Easterby's ten year old would be presumably warming up for more raids at York. The in form stable of Kevin Ryan was represented by Rambuso Creek, a five year old who won towards the end of last season and had the benefit of a recent leg stretch at Thirsk earlier in the month. Another experienced sort from the Tim Easterby yard would be the eight year old Count d'Orsay. He scored a quickfire double of wins last summer, but found one or two rivals too strong on numerous occasions throughout the season. That would include stablemate Mattice, who led home a one-two for his yard, nosing out Count d'Orsay and signing off the season with a victory. The field was completed by Adrian Keatley's Honour Your Dreams who has been kept busy throughout his short career. He would be returning to action following a small break since his start in January. 

Winner: DARE TO HOPE (#3) (Camacho x Prying Pandora) - O. Orr - R. Fahey

The largest field of the afternoon produced an exciting finish and plenty of clues for further in the season. The experienced handicappers got away to a level break and in the early stages, it would be the trio of Tim Easterby runners who led the group. Mattice bagged the inside rail from his outside draw and soon had his stablemate Copper Knight closely behind in second. Count d'Orsay would come next with the likes of Honour Your Dreams and Miss Brazen racing enthusiastically. 

Mattice continued to travel strongly and kicked on into a clear leader. From out of the pack, Dare To Hope emerged from a long way back to move clear with Mattice and the pair settled down to fight it out. Richard Fahey's Dare To Hope had to do it the hard way, but showed the best finishing kick to overhaul the leader and win comfortably under Oisin Orr. Rambuso Creek was another to run well from the rear into third and the well backed Lakota Blue took home a promising fourth.

It would be a winning seasonal reappearance for the four year old son of Camacho who has always possessed plenty of ability. A winner on his debut in 2022, Dare To Hope finished fourth in a valuable sales race at the Ebor Festival that year. 2023 saw more of the same with victory at a class two race in good style. Taking advantage of the drop in grade, the gelding hinted at the possibility of a productive season this year. There would also be more success for Richard Fahey and Oisin Orr at Beverley as the pair won the leading trainer and leading jockey prizes at Beverley last year. 

Race Three: The Still Alive At 75 Kathie Emery Novice Stakes - One Mile, Two Furlongs - Class Five - Runners: 6

Next up would be an interesting novice contest which featured some promising winners and others had shown plenty of promise so far.

The list was topped by the Andrew Balding-trained Dambuster. The son of Kingman won narrowly on debut before struggling in Group company when last seen. He would step up in distance with plenty of stamina in his pedigree. The first of the maidens would be Archie Watson's Infatuator. The colt only made his debut last month but has already finished second and third in his two starts to date on the all weather. The Middleham yard of Charlie Johnston was represented by Open Secret, another to switch to the turf for the first time. He finished in the podium places on both starts either side of the new year and stepped up in distance here. The newly gelded Stay In The Game made his seasonal reappearance and shaped like a stayer on his two starts last year where he finished third both times. The Brian Ellison-trained Tryfan had a mix of speed and stamina in his pedigree and was another to show ability on his only start last year. The field was completed by Mark Walford's filly Misty Time. She wouldn't have the same level of form as her rivals, but had the potential to improve as a three year old.

Winner: DAMBUSTER (#1) (Kingman x Wall Of Sound) - O. Murphy - A. Balding

The morning withdrawal of Mick Easterby's previous winner Spirit of Acklam reduced some of the interest in the race, but the contest produced a good finish between a pair of nice sorts for this year.

From the outset, the all grey silks of Open Secret went straight to the front under Joe Fanning as the keen going Stay In The Game raced in second, just ahead of short priced favourite Dambuster. The order remained the same for most of the race until the field met the rising ground for the first time. Open Secret began to weaken which gave the advantage to Jason Hart onboard Stay In The Game. For a brief moment, it looked as if Dambuster was boxed in as the early leader backpedalled, but he was brought to the stand's side for a run under Oisin Murphy. The response would be immediate and Dambuster chased down Stay In The Game as the pair drew clear of the remainder. Crossing the line, it would be a return to winning ways for Dambuster by just under a length with Stay In The Game confirming his ability in second. Open Secret came home in a solitary third while Infatuator never got higher than fourth place throughout.

Andrew Balding's runners are always respected at Beverley and have a strong 60% strike rate in the past five years. Dambuster added to that tally by gaining a second career win. After making a successful debut at Sandown in late August 2023, the son of Kingman was sent straight into pattern company in the Autumn Stakes at Newmarket. He would be beaten by over thirty lengths and finished last of four, but the subsequent form has worked out well. Dallas Star has since returned to win the Ballysax Stakes and the winner Arabian Crown is a leading fancy for this year's Epsom Derby. 
A return to a higher level is expected for Dambuster who relished the longer trip here. His dam Wall Of Sound finished in the frame at Group One level over ten furlongs and Dambuster is also related to the classy The Cheka. His progress will be followed with interest for the remainder of the year.

Race Four: The Alan McGuiness & Robin Lunness Handicap - Seven Furlongs - Class Three - Runners: 7

The highest quality race would feature another small field, but there was plenty of talent on display in this closely knit contest.

Top weight would be saddled by the Ben Brookhouse-trained Global Skies. The gelding improved with each run last season and ended up competing in listed company last October. He would share the top weight burden with David O'Meara's Cerulean Bay, who looked smart when winning his first two starts before finding a Group Three race too hot on his last start. Bellarchi ran an impressive fourteen times as two year old last year, but showed she had trained on by winning at Southwell recently; her fourth success. Brian Ellison's Power Of Zeus would arrive as the fittest runner having raced just four days earlier and ran well over a mile at Musselburgh. The Ed Bethell-trained Sea The Dream ran well in defeat as a two year old, but won for the first time on his seasonal reappearance recently and had the potential to improve further. Karl Burke's Classy Boy was another to go winless as a juvenile, but finished in the placings in five of his six starts last year. The filly Catton Lady completed the field for Mick Easterby and Jo Mason and made a winning debut last season. She returned home in third behind Sea The Dream when they faced each other at Thirsk a fortnight ago. 

Winner: CLASSY BOY (#6) (Calyx x Euphrasia) - C. Lee - K. Burke 

The small field produced the closest finish of the afternoon and it would be a brilliant outcome for the locally based Nick Bradley Racing outfit as their horses returned first and second.

From the outset, Classy Boy gained the early lead but raced a shade keenly from a modest pace. The equally keen Cerulean Bay kept the early leader occupied as they eyeballed each other. The slow starting Global Skies, keen going Sea The Dream and Power Of Zeus were amongst those at the rear. Turning for home, Classy Boy was still at the forefront of the field, but now had the attentions of Bellarchi to deal with. The white and black silks of Nick Bradley Racing battled for bragging rights as the line approached quickly. In a thrilling finish, it would be the nose of Classy Boy in the red cap which broke the tape first, just in front of the owner's first string Bellarchi. Back in third, Global Skies made good late headway to finish ahead of Cerulean Bay. 

On a day where members were treated to a hospitality suite, the Nick Bradley Racing syndicate celebrated a first and second in dramatic fashion. In the process, it would also be Classy Boy's first career success. The son of Calyx improved with each run last year and was last seen finishing second at Newmarket on a heavy ground nine furlongs. Impressing with his attitude, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Classy Boy progress further with a first win under his belt. 

Race Five: The Melanie Stocks 60th Birthday Handicap - One Mile - Class Four - Runners: 6

Another small select field would be up next as this class four contest over a mile contained some smart types for the grade.

The Ed Dunlop-trained Arthur's Realm landed the Spring Mile at Doncaster two years ago and made a promising reappearance in this year's renewal when third. The six year old would find himself in calmer waters here but was saddled with top weight. Kevin Ryan's Shaladar ran well in defeat throughout the season last year and transferred his form to the all-weather with two more placings. The five year old would be making his first start since November last year. Westernesse has been well placed by his trainer David O'Meara and has regularly finished in the frame since joining the yard. Having won at Pontefract over this distance, he was looking to capitalise on the stiff uphill straight to bring his stamina in play. Mick Appleby's Beltane has a good record at Beverley from four starts and his latest win came at the Westwood last summer. The Ruth Carr stable continued their tradition of picking up outcasts from leading stables with King Sharja. Despite his fancy pedigree, the four year old had yet to shine in two starts for the Yorkshire stable. The sextet was completed by Tim Easterby's Temper Trap. The seven year old won three in a row last year at a lower level, but was stepping up in grade for this contest.

Winner: ARTHUR'S REALM (#1) (Camelot x Morning Line) - R. Ryan - E. Dunlop

In the early stages of the race, the six strong field would race in Indian file as the course specialist Beltane cut out the opening fractions under Alistair Rawlinson. King Sharja would be next in line but raced keenly, harming his chances of conserving energy later on. The joint-favourites Arthur's Realm and Westernesse raced in close proximity while Shaladar and Temper Trap brought up the rear.

There would be little change in the order as the field began to climb uphill towards the finish. Arthur's Realm was noted to be travelling smoothly under Rossa Ryan and began to make up ground on the leader Beltane. His horse responded to pressure and Ed Dunlop's six year old began to pull clear of his rivals. From the rear, Shaladar got going all to late but overhauled Beltane for second close home as Westernesse returned home in the top four once again.

It would be a case of quality comes out on top as the formerly smart Arthur's Realm returned to winning ways for the first time since April 2022. The now six year old defied top weight to increase his win tally to four. He is also a proven soft ground lover, as shown to good effect at Doncaster two years ago when winning the Spring Mile Handicap in similar conditions. A close third in this year's renewal of that race suggested he was ready to strike and he cashed in on the easier assignment here.

Race Six: The Rapid Lad Handicap - One Mile, Two Furlongs - Class Five - Runners: 7

A highlight of the season at Beverley would be next with the Rapid Lad Handicap. The race is named in honour of a cult hero at Beverley who won twelve times between 1979 and 1988 and the contest is run over the distance he excelled at.

Just like the previous race, an Ed Dunlop representative would hold top weight. Lenny's Spirit won three times last year for amateur Sophie Smith, but would have fully fledged jockey Rossa Ryan in the saddle. The nine year old Where's Jeff continues his enthusiasm for the game. Mick Easterby's gelding finished runner up three times at Beverley last year and would be looking for compensation this year. The Danny Brooke-trained six year old Sonning missed the whole of 2023 but was a decent hurdler with two wins in 2022. Richard Fahey's My Harrison George held the lightest raced profile with seven runs but hadn't tasted success as of yet. The four year old finished in the podium placings on his final four starts of last season. Burglar's Dream held a similar profile to My Harrison George, but the Tim Easterby-trained gelding was last seen in action back in June 2023. Loddon was another runner without a win to her name, but posted one of her best efforts at Beverley in similar conditions last summer. Moush made a quiet seasonal reappearance at Newcastle last time out on his debut for the Liam Bailey yard.

Winner: WHERE'S JEFF (#2) (Haafhd x Piece Of Magic) - S. Gray - M & D. Easterby

There would be an exciting finish to this prestigious handicap as the first five finishers would be covered by just two and a half lengths at the finish.

There would be some slight bumping and barging at the start as horse and jockeys jostled for position. Burglar's Dream slightly hampered Moush, but it didn't stop him from grabbing the early lead under Billy Garritty. Entering the final stages, the race began to unravel as the field moved towards the centre of the course. The leader Moush quickly surrendered his position as Loddon, Burglar's Dream and Where's Jeff all made their move. It would be a family battle for the Easterby family as Mick and David's Where's Jeff nosed in front of Tim's Burglar's Dream. The nine year old Where's Jeff did just enough to keep Burglar's Dream at bay and score for the tenth time in his career. Back in third, Loddon ran well in defeat after racing keenly early on while the slow starting Lenny's Spirit made up plenty of ground at the finish.

Rapid Lad, whom the race was named after, won at Beverley twelve times in a productive career. Therefore, it would be fitting that another course specialist would win this race. Where's Jeff would be successful for the third time on the Westwood and gained compensation for his narrow defeat in last year's renewal. There may not be a "Where's Jeff Handicap" just yet, but it is another pointer to follow horses that enjoy this unique course.

Race Seven: The Blue Sky Event Services Handicap - One Mile, Two Furlongs - Class Six - Runners: 9

The final contest of Beverley's first meeting of 2024 would see a low grade contest for three year olds. The race would also provide a momentous event in the career of one of these runners as the whole field was made up of maidens, therefore the winner would be successful for the first time.

Top weight Remonstrate had the appeal of a likely improver now faced with handicaps. The Ed Dunlop runner ran three times within a month before a gelding operation and he was expected to be a much different proposition at this level. The Charlie Johnston-trained Blossomtime began to improve in handicaps on the all-weather and gained a consistent profile without progressing. The filly has finished second and third in all her starts this year. The well named filly Letmeseethecolts has raced just four times, but the Brian Ellison-trained three year old has looked awkward to ride in recent starts. The George Scott stable sent up just one runner from their Newmarket base in the form of Jailbird. The filly had shown only just enough ability to win at this level. Nigel TInkler's Little Venice posted her best effort to date when third last time in a small race at Newcastle and switched to turf for the first time here. The Ollie Pears-trained Trust Time finished just out of the placings on a couple of occasions last year and was another with the potential to land a low level contest. The well bred Little Rose has evidently failed to live up to expectations but was trained by William Haggas and ridden by Tom Marquand, so there would be hope for a valuable first success. The Roger Fell and Sean Murray trained Yeulan has yet to improve so far, even after a switch to easier handicap company so looked limited. The field was completed by the cheekpiece wearing Gator Girl, who had finished last on all four career starts.

Winner: LITTLE ROSE (#7) (Dubawi x Sweet Rose) - T. Marquand - W. Haggas 

The honour of a first career win would go to the favourite Little Rose, who turned this race into a procession. The signs of her chances were there in clear sight as it was significant the Group One winning pair trainer William Haggas and jockey Tom Marquand would be represented in this low level race. 
The hooded filly kept things simple and got away to the best start of them all. The likes of Remonstrate, Jailbird and Letmeseethecolts kept their eyes on the leader as the slow starting Flowering quick made up for lost ground. Even at the halfway stage, Gator Girl was visibly struggling and began to get outpaced. Swinging for home, Tom Marquand set sail on Little Rose and his filly responded well. Pulling clear of the chasing pack, the margin began to grow further and further. It was clear the race was sealed for Little Rose and it would be a fight for second. Charlie Johnston's Flowering ran well in the circumstances and gained a podium place for the sixth race in a row while there was another gap to the third placed Little Venice. 

Little Rose herself is very well bred and even though she had to sink to the basement level for a first career win, it will improve her profile as a future broodmare. The three-year-old daughter of Dubawi is a half sister to Scentasia, a dual listed race winner for John Gosden. Further back in the family, the likes of classy stayers Elite Army and Promesse de l'Aube

She may not be a star in the making, but she is a race winner which matters the most.