The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 6 letter word ORYXES
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
O
R
Y
X
E
S
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The straight part
We know that "horny beasts" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case horny beasts = oryxes.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does ORYXES mean?
ORYXES noun- Any of several antelopes, of the genus Oryx, native to Africa, which have long, straight horns.