Inside Track: Beeswing race is steeped in history

Jul 25 2008 The Journal

THE Barclays Commercial Beeswing Ladies Day is set to start a busy spell of racing after the three-day Northumberland Plate Festival.

There is £64,000 of prize money up for grabs across this challenging card.

This big race itself is steeped in history and named after a prolific winning mare in the 1830s, Beeswing. She was born in 1833 and owned by the Orde family from Nunnykirk, near Morpeth. She became one of the most famous and greatest horses of all time, managing to win an amazing 51 races out of 63 starts (placed lower than second on only one occasion). Her career extended until she was nine years old, a rarity these days. In her final season, having already won many top races, she bagged the Ascot Gold Cup by half a length – no mean feat even at an earlier time in a horse’s career.

Beeswing’s sire happened to be the famous northern horse Dr Syntax, who himself won 32 races, including five Richmond Cups. Her dam also bred Tomboy, winner of the Northumberland Plate in 1833. She went on to foal two Classic winners after her retirement from racing – Nunnykirk who won the 2,000 Guineas and Newminster who won the St Leger. It was indeed a rich period of time for thoroughbred horses in the North of England.

The Beeswing Stakes was a Group 3 race back in the 1990s and attracted class horses such as Shahid, Decorated Hero, Iktimal, Gabr, Bold Russian and prolific winner Wizard King.

The race may not be quite the quality of old and it is unlikely that any Beeswings of the future will emerge on Saturday, but what is likely, is that it will prove to be a very competitive race.

Flipando and Countdown look to be the horses worthy of interest in the £16,000 feature race. And in the one-mile two-furlong Handicap at 4.30pm, Dechiper has got to have a real chance, as it looks likely that the ground will be in his favour. Current Going conditions are Good to Firm, Good in places. Forecast is to remain warm and humid on Saturday.

JAMES Armstrong is clerk of the course at Newcastle Racecourse.