Judicial makes Bullet point with popular bounce-back victory at Beverley

Never give up on a sprinter as good as Judicial. The Elite Racing Club and the Beverley regulars kept the faith and were rewarded with a 13-2 winner.

He had been one of the stories of 2018, putting Julie Camacho's small Malton stable on the map by going close in one Group 3 race at Newmarket and landing another at Sandown.

Things had gone less well this season, until he returned to the track that suits him ideally and made it three wins from three visits by taking the Listed William Hill Beverley Bullet by three-quarters of a length under Joe Fanning.

As more than a dozen of his enthusiastic owners celebrated, the trainer's husband Steve Brown admitted that doubts had seeped in after his sixth in the King George at Goodwood.

"He's had a regressive year on the whole and there's been no obvious reason why. Eventually you lose a bit of confidence, that's natural," he said.

"He'd been a little bit tame in his finish so we took the hood off. We inherited a horse who was combustible and I think he'd got comfortable. We discussed cheekpieces and if he'd been disappointing today that would have been the next step, but we're back on track."

The next track is likely to be Newbury for the Group 3 Dubai International Airport World Trophy and Brown said: "I hope we can finish the season on a high and come back next year.

"He's done so much for us. He's already put us on the next step of the ladder from where we were; he's taken us from League Two to League One.

Judicial at home with Julie Camacho and Steve BrownCredit: David Carr

"It's been a tricky season for the yard. It's been a bit below expectations, but that's our 16th win and we're through £200,000, so we're not in the relegation zone – we might sneak a play-off place!"

Watch Judicial's victory in the Beverley Bullet

Reflecting on Judicial's unbeaten record at Beverley, Brown said: "He's a five-and-a-half-furlong horse and he likes a hill; they tend to go a good gallop and it suits him. He sees it out well. It's probably getting a bit too much for the speed horses in the last furlong, but he kicks in and finds another step."

Doncaster and Ripon handicap winner Queens Gift was second on her step up in class.

Trainer Michael Dods said: "She was dipping her toe into a Listed race and I thought she'd have run a great race if she finished in the first four, so I am delighted with second. She travelled really well but Judicial is a super horse on his day."

Read The Lowdown from 8.30am daily on racingpost.com and the Racing Post app for all the day's going updates, news and tips