Andrew Asquith provides an overview of the key things to note on Tuesday.
Note Beckett runner at Beverley
Ralph Beckett doesn’t have many runners at Beverley, but he has a 25% strike rate over the last five seasons, and his sole runner at the track on Tuesday, Food For Thought, has excellent claims in the Clearanswer Call Centres Maiden Fillies’ Stakes (14:30).
She showed ability when finishing midfield in a novice event run in foul conditions at Newbury in September and showed the benefit of that experience when not beaten far by a promising filly over a mile at Yarmouth on her final start in October.
Food For Thought was much sharper on that occasion, showing much improved form while also leaving the impression she has much more to offer. The winner of that race has since finished runner-up in listed company, so the form has a solid look to it, and very much sets the standard in what doesn’t look the strongest race of its type.
The return to shorter shouldn’t pose a problem and she’ll likely prove tough to beat in this field.
Always Happy looks a smart prospect
The Sky Sports Racing Virgin 519 Novice Stakes (17:50) features several potential improvers, along with some nice types on paper, but Always Happy looked well above average on debut and is potentially smart.
She has an attractive pedigree and landed the odds in style at Southwell in March, a steady pace meant that the runner-up had the run of the race, but it was encouraging to see how easily Always Happy overcame the run of the race.
Always Happy travelled strongly in rear and was switched for a run in the straight, making good headway over a furlong out and never subjected to maximum pressure to readily move clear.
Her performance can be marked up further when taking her closing sectionals into account – she has the Sectional and Horse In Focus Flag – and she looks the type to improve markedly so, very much one who will be plying her trade in a higher grade sooner rather than later.
Zatsogood looks well treated for handicap debut
Most of these in the Follow @attheraces On X Handicap (19:20) have exposed profiles, but Zatsgood is of a different ilk and it could prove he’s thrown in now making his handicap debut from a mark of 78.
He showed plenty to work on making his debut for Andre Fabre in France at the backend of 2024, splitting subsequent Group 3 and listed winners, and he was purchased by current connections for 28,000 guineas earlier this year.
Zatsgood started the odds-on favourite on his debut for George Boughey at Newcastle in March and, while he was unable to land the odds, it was his first start for 16 months and he did bump into an improver.
He took a step forward on the back of that effort when a close fourth in a rather messy maiden at Kempton last time, giving chunks of weight away to some progressive three-year-olds and not at all knocked about.
It is worth repeating that his form in France has a very solid look to it and he represents a yard who have a very good record with handicap debutants. There’s more improvement to come from him and he makes plenty of appeal in this field.
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