BEVERLEY RACES : San Shining For Serena

Serena Brotherton strives for family honour at Beverley on Tuesday when San Cassiano runs in the Lady Jane Bethell Memorial Handicap.

The long-standing mile-and-a-quarter contest for lady amateur riders (5.35) is held in memory of Brotherton’s grandmother, Lady Jane Bethell, a much-missed former patron of the racecourse.

San Cassiano holds outstanding claims of victory, too, after Brotherton and the Ruth Carr-trained nine-year-old won the Dorothy Laird Memorial Trophy over this course and distance a fortnight ago.

Brotherton’s partner dramatically held on by a head that day, with his jockey cautiously optimistic about winning the Lady Jane Bethell Memorial Handicap for the first time since Gala Sunday struck in 2006.

She said: “I wouldn’t swap San Cassiano for anything in the race, but this is likely to be tougher.

“It’s a race that’s open to three-year-olds and there are two of them in there (Weld Al Khawaneej and Rubis), so they are dangers.

“The last time at Beverley when San Cassiano won was the longest furlong of my life. We just hung on, luckily, but it was a long, long way home.

“San Cassiano has gone up 4lb for that win, which I thought was a bit harsh, but then I saw that the runner-up (Attain) won at Sandown last Wednesday.

“We are always very grateful to Beverley for staging these amateur races and though I always want to win all the time, it would be extra-special on Tuesday as it’s my granny’s race.”

San Cassiano will renew rivalry with golden oldie Pevensey, who finished a staying-on fifth in the Dorothy Laird Memorial Trophy.

The Royal Ascot-winning 14-year-old, trained by Jacqueline Coward, was having his first start on the Flat since June 2011 but was only beaten four and a quarter lengths by the winner.

Pevensey will be ridden at Beverley by Joanna Mason, who shared the 2015 lady amateurs’ Flat championship with Brotherton.

Beverley’s ‘Roll Up, Roll Up, Family Raceday’ is due to begin at 2.10pm, with the going currently good to firm and watering taking place to preserve conditions.

Light cloud and a high of 19C have been forecast ahead of the seven-race card on the Westwood.

Beverley’s feature is the £10,000 Wilford Watts Memorial Handicap (3.55) over eight and a half furlongs.

Five-time course scorer Jacbequick makes a brisk return to the track after winning so well on last Monday evening’s card, while the hat-trick-seeking Final has hit the target on two recent visits to East Yorkshire.

Popular veteran Dubai Dynamo, Dawn Mirage, Homeland and Bronte Flyer complete the six-runner field.