'He seems to have improved for stepping up in trip' - analysis and key quotes for Beverley's feature race

It's time to ease ourselves out of Ascot mode and readjust to the everyday. Among many reasons for that is that what happened at the royal meeting last week distorts what it means to be 'in form'.

Take Charlie Johnston. His form figures at Ascot last week were 70500054. Yet his yard is far from struggling for winners. Over the last two full weeks he has recorded 17 winners from 58 runners, a 29 per cent strike-rate that far outstrips his average of 12 per cent.

Johnston has Individualism in this race. This time last year, he was seriously progressive. He was a head second at Hamilton and won by clear water at Carlisle which, like Beverley, is a stiff, right-handed track. 

He blew out at Ascot on his only run after that in 2024, and two runs in 2025 have been similarly moderate. Maybe he can bounce back with his yard well among the winners.

There is less need to take a chance on fellow four-year-olds Flickering Halo and Papagei. The former won two starts back, is still off a lower mark than when third in Class 2 company last July, and won over course and distance on his only visit to Beverley.

Papagei has no experience here, but like Individualism, has done it on a stiff, right-handed track. It was Leicester in his case, last August. Since then he has held his form well, albeit mostly over further. 

Throw in recent York second Gincident, and although this race might not measure up to what we saw last week, it is a race of genuine depth for a Tuesday afternoon.
Race analysis by Keith Melrose

Ground and weather

The ground is good to firm, good in places and clerk of the course John Morley said: "We had 2.6mm of rain on Sunday night, so we didn't water. We're forecast showers overnight, we're expecting 3-4mm of rainfall. That'll probably maintain conditions or swap it to good, good to firm in places."

What they say

James Owen, trainer of Gincident
He's in good form and he ran really well at York last time. He was trapped out wide there and it was a really good run. He seems to have improved for stepping up in trip and the stiff mile and a quarter at this track should suit him really well.

James Ferguson, trainer of Papagei
He's down in trip here as Jonny Peate and Danny Muscutt said a stiff mile and a quarter might be what he wants. He's a nice horse who travels well through his races and he's won for us in the past. The ground will be fine for him but I think James Owen's horse Gincident will be hard to beat.

Mark Walford, trainer of Spioradalta
He ran with credit at York last time and he'd won at Ripon before that, so he's in good form. Any rain they get would help and we've put Rhys Elliott on to take off 5lb. He's not run at Beverley before but that's not a concern. He's quite a handy horse, so isn't dependent on the track. Hopefully, he should run well.
Reporting by James Stevens

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