THE Beverley Bullet is a race that has spawned several repeat winners in its relatively short life. Chookie Heiton won it twice, Take Cover won it twice, Baltic King finished third in it once, second in it once and first in it once. Tis Marvellous has won it twice and is back for a hat-trick bid today.

The case for Tis Marvellous lies in the return to Beverley. Winner of the last two renewals of the race, you know that he goes well at the track. He also goes well at Ascot though – before he won his first Beverley Bullet, you could easily have argued that he was a better horse at Ascot than he was anywhere else – and he has been disappointing in his last two runs there.

That said, it is probable that Clive Cox has had today’s race in mind for him since the start of the season, and he was well beaten in his two races last season before he went to Beverley and won his second Bullet. And the fact that he is nine years old now is not a barrier to success in this race. Take Cover won it at 10 and at 11, Borderlescott won it at 10.

Tis Marvellous is a leap of faith this year though. In three runs this term, he has finished last in the Palace House, last in the Wokingham, and seventh of 10 in the Shergar Cup Dash. To put his chance into context, he was rated 109 when he won the race last year, this year he goes into the race on a mark of 98. It would not be at all surprising to see him leave this year’s form behind today, but, admirable sprinter though he is, that still may not be good enough to see him prevail.

Silky Wilkie is the highest rated horse in the race, and he is a worthy favourite. Karl Burke’s horse has been keeping good company this season. Beaten a short head in the Dash at Epsom on Derby day, he stepped forward from that to finish second in a listed race at York in July, before contesting the Group 2 King George Stakes at Goodwood that Highfield Princess won. He is one for one at Beverley too, he won a novice stakes there as a two-year-old.

He finished fourth in a Racing League race at Newcastle on Thursday evening and, if that hasn’t taken the edge off him, he could go well.

Judicial could go well too, winner of this race as a seven-year-old in 2019, bidding to repeat the feat four years later as an 11-year-old, and with a record at Beverley that reads 111331. And Bond Chairman is a player, if you can ignore his latest run in the Shergar Cup Dash, which was just too bad to be true.

But Apollo One could have the strongest claims. Winner of a handicap at Kempton in November on his final run last season off a mark of 94, he has been unlucky not to bag a big prize this season before now.

Beaten a neck in a good six-furlong handicap at Epsom on Derby day, he went to Royal Ascot and finished second in the Wokingham, then went to the Goodwood Festival and finished second in the Stewards’ Cup.

A 3lb hike for that run still leaves him with 5lb to find with Silky Wilkie on official ratings, but he goes into the race on an upward curve, in the form of his life. He hasn’t run over five furlongs since July last year, but Beverley’s five furlongs is a stiff five furlongs, you have to see it out well, and Apollo One had the pace to be able to race prominently in the Wokingham and the Stewards’ Cup. A stiff five furlongs could be ideal, and he has a nice draw in stall two.

Sandown

Earlier in the afternoon, Heredia could be the answer to the Atalanta Stakes at Sandown. Richard Hannon’s filly has been slowly away from stalls in the past, but she showed her talent when she got away on terms with her rivals in the Listed Dick Hern Stakes at Haydock last time, and even a repeat of that performance should see her go close today.

She did have the run of the race at Haydock admittedly. Under a fine ride from Sean Levey, she got into a lovely position early on from her draw in stall one, just better than mid-division behind a good pace and along the inside, and she got a nice gap when she needed one towards the inside just outside the furlong marker. But she had the pace and the class to make the most of the run of the race, coming clear of her rivals, as she did, inside the final furlong.

It was a good race too. The runner-up Purplepay, who re-opposes today, won the Group 2 Prix de Sandringham last year, and the third filly Orchid Bloom went into the race on a nice upward trajectory. Just one horse from the race has run since, seventh-placed Quick Change, who finished second in a listed race at Longchamp on Thursday.

Heredia is a classy filly. She won the Sandringham Handicap at Royal Ascot last year, and she did well to finish second in a listed race at Musselburgh in early June after missing the break. She has good form over seven furlongs, but her best form – that Sandringham win and her win at Haydock last time – is over a mile.

She was beaten in a listed race at Sandown on Eclipse day last year on her only run at the track, but the moderate early pace was all against her that day. She is settling better in her races now than used to be the case and, with a few potential front-runners in here, including Roman Mist and Nibras Angel and Mysterious Love, there will hopefully be a decent early pace on, and that would be ideal.

Recommended

Heredia, 1 point win, 2.25 Sandown, 4/1 (generally)

Apollo One, 1 point win, 2.40 Beverley, 3/1 (Bet 365, Hills)