September 30 / 16.40 Newcastle (AW)

16.40

Standard

Begbies Traynor Group Apprentice Handicap

  • Prize money: £4536
  • 0m 7f 14y
  • Class 5
  • 7 runners
SKY
View Course
Begbies Traynor Group Apprentice Handicap

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Flat AW

Surface: Tapeta

Weather: Showers

4/1 (Won)

  • Win: £7.50
  • Place: £3.50

Form: 512790

Last run: 32 days

W: 10st 0lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 75

Form & Verdict
Gained all three wins over 1m+, the latest at Sandown (good to firm) in July; can live with his 3lb higher mark and this is a drop in grade, but the trip is a worry.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

3

(9)

2nd Jun 2026

Standard

1m 0f 5y

Class 6

20:45 Newcastle (AW)

Mercurius Power

9st 9lb

J: Lewis Edmunds

T: Jessica Macey

Difficult to win with in recent years, now 7lb lower than when last successful at Southwell (1m) in August 2024; met trouble when sixth (beaten over 4l) here on penultimate start, but latest Leicester effort was less encouraging.

12/1

7th

9

(7)

9th May 2026

Good To Firm

1m 0f 53y

Class 6

20:25 Leicester

Mercurius Power

9st 1lb

J: Darragh Keenan

T: Jessica Macey

It's now 17 outings since his last success but he arrives on the back of a respectable sixth of 11 in 1m Newcastle handicap last month; easing in the weights and no forlorn hope.

14/1

6th

4

(9)

13th Apr 2026

Standard

1m 0f 5y

Class 6

20:00 Newcastle (AW)

Mercurius Power

9st 8lb

J: George Wood

T: Jessica Macey

Regular 1m placings here and at Southwell since September; form dipped on latest outing, however, and there's been no win since August 2024.

8/1

7/2

  • Place: £1.90

Form: 422671

Last run: 8 days

W: 9st 5lb

5 yo Mare

OR: 61

Form & Verdict
Strike-rate of 5-22, enhanced when making all the running over 1m at Chelmsford last week; was due a 2lb drop so is only 3lb higher even with a penalty and Erika Parkinson rides again; drop back to 7f is unlikely to trouble.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

2

(8)

6th Jan 2024

Standard

0m 7f 14y

Class 5

19:00 Southwell (AW)

Finery

9st 9lb

J: Joanna Mason

T: Michael Appleby

Returned from a break with creditable third of seven over 1m here last month but she's been below par twice since, latterly at Newcastle only five days ago; others arrive with more pressing claims.

7/1

7th

8

(2)

1st Jan 2024

Standard

0m 7f 14y

Class 2

16:15 Newcastle (AW)

Finery

8st 2lb

J: Andrew Mullen

T: Michael Appleby

Ran well in the Southwell contest won by Wild Side but raced too freely in the Wolverhampton event won by Nine Tenths; not sure to what to expect in first-time cheekpieces (replacing usual hood).

16/1

4th

4

(5)

16th Dec 2023

Standard

0m 7f 36y

Class 3

19:00 Wolverhampton (AW)

Finery

8st 8lb

J: Harry Davies

T: Michael Appleby

led

4/1

OUR TIP

Form: 512541 C

Last run: 7 days

W: 10st 0lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 70

Form & Verdict
Enjoyed having a strong pace to aim at when coming through to collect here last week over 6f, beating one in form; with him due a 1lb ease he's only 4lb higher here under a penalty and this could also be run to suit; not had many chances at 7f but should stay; respected.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

6

(4)

22nd Oct 2022

Standard

0m 6f 0y

Class 4

19:00 Chelmsford (AW)

Twilight Secret

9st 7lb

J: Oliver Stammers

T: Grant Tuer

midfield, some headway from 2f out, clipped heels and stumbled over 1f out, soon lost position, not recover (jockey said gelding clipped the heels of a weakening Silver Kitten turning in for home)

10/1

9th

4

(10)

20th Oct 2022

Standard

0m 6f 16y

Class 5

15:05 Southwell (AW)

Twilight Secret

9st 12lb

J: Oliver Stammers

T: Grant Tuer

midfield, headway and about three wide home turn, ridden over 1f out, weakened final furlong

11/2

3rd

3

(4)

30th Sep 2022

Standard

0m 7f 14y

Class 5

16:40 Newcastle (AW)

Twilight Secret

10st 0lb

J: Oliver Stammers

T: Grant Tuer

towards rear, pushed along and headway from over 1f out, ridden and stayed on inside final furlong

7/2

Form: 4-0620 CD

Last run: 7 days

W: 10st 0lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 75

Form & Verdict
Six-time Tapeta winner and likes it here; not sure what happened last time but appeared to be finding his form after an absence when runner-up the run before.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

7

(2)

10th Apr 2025

Standard

1m 0f 5y

Class 6

20:30 Newcastle (AW)

Anif

8st 12lb

J: Tom Eaves

T: Michael Herrington

Veteran five-time course winner who's still capable of being competitive, as he showed when second to Urban Dandy in a classified here (1m) a month ago; the return to handicaps asks for a bit more.

8/1

4th

7

(2)

10th Apr 2025

Standard

1m 0f 5y

Class 6

20:30 Newcastle (AW)

Anif

8st 12lb

J: Tom Eaves

T: Michael Herrington

in rear, headway inside final furlong, not reach leaders

8/1

2nd

2

(6)

10th Mar 2025

Standard

1m 0f 5y

Class 6

18:00 Newcastle (AW)

Anif

9st 9lb

J: Tom Eaves

T: Michael Herrington

held up in rear, switched right over 2f out, headway over 1f out, pressed winner final 110yds, no extra towards finish

12/1

Form: 2-7939

Last run: 17 days

W: 8st 13lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 60

Form & Verdict
4yo who is 0-9; got no run at all when travelling well at Redcar last time and he does have placed form on Tapeta, albeit over longer trips; has never raced over 7f before.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

15th

13

(10)

1st Nov 2022

Soft

0m 7f 219y

Class 6

17:05 Redcar

Virgo

9st 7lb

J: Mikkel Mortensen

T: Charlie Fellowes

0-10 (placed twice on AW over 8.5f/1m2f); beaten over 4l on handicap debut (C&D, good to soft) in September, when he was unable to get a clear run as things got serious; drops 4lb and pedigree hints that he can handle soft ground; interesting.

16/1

5th

7

(6)

30th Sep 2022

Standard

0m 7f 14y

Class 5

16:40 Newcastle (AW)

Virgo

8st 13lb

J: Mikkel Mortensen

T: Charlie Fellowes

in rear, ridden over 1f out, some headway inside final furlong, never near to challenge

7/1

3rd

2

(5)

17th Aug 2022

Standard

1m 0f 142y

Class 6

16:00 Wolverhampton (AW)

Virgo

9st 7lb

J: Stevie Donohoe

T: Charlie Fellowes

towards rear, pushed along home turn, soon switched left, ridden and kept on over 1f out, ran on well towards far side inside final furlong, went third towards finish, eyecatcher

8/1

Form: 224772 D

Last run: 31 days

W: 9st 12lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 73

Form & Verdict
Only win in 23 runs came over this trip at Kempton in early 2021; has become hard to predict but he'd be involved if on a going day; tactically versatile by the looks.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

(5)

3rd Jul 2025

Good To Firm

1m 0f 3y

Class 6

14:32 Yarmouth

Starshiba

10st 0lb

J: Jack Dace

T: Jack Morland

Eight-time winner on AW and 0-24 on turf but he went very close off his lower turf mark at Nottingham (8.5f, good to firm) one week ago; same mark here and must have claims in search of his turf breakthrough.

15/8

2nd

1

(3)

26th Jun 2025

Good To Firm

1m 0f 75y

Class 6

14:12 Nottingham

Starshiba

9st 12lb

J: Jack Dace

T: Jack Morland

Last nine starts on AW; ended a losing run when scoring at Lingfield (1m) in December but that set up for his closing style and he's not really threatened in four runs since, latterly at Kempton (7f) 113 days ago; can race off his lower turf mark today but others are more persuasive.

8/1

14/1

Form: 528386

Last run: 34 days

W: 9st 6lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 67

Form & Verdict
Not on a bad mark but last two efforts were below par and this is a belated first run beyond 6f.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

5

(1)

30th Sep 2022

Standard

0m 7f 14y

Class 5

16:40 Newcastle (AW)

Lost My Sock

9st 6lb

J: Sean Kirrane

T: Tim Easterby

prominent, pushed along over 2f out, ridden and weakened over 1f out

14/1

6th

6

(6)

27th Aug 2022

Good To Firm

0m 5f 217y

Class 5

18:50 Redcar

Lost My Sock

9st 7lb

J: David Allan

T: Tim Easterby

prominent, ridden 2f out, weakened inside final furlong

14/1

8th

8

(7)

3rd Aug 2022

Good

0m 5f 3y

Class 5

16:50 Pontefract

Lost My Sock

9st 8lb

J: Duran Fentiman

T: Tim Easterby

held up in rear, ridden and no impression from over 2f out

5/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £35.50
Straight Forecast £32.14
Trifecta £132.00

Selections

The Guardian:

Finery

SPOTLIGHT:

Twilight Secret

RP Ratings:

Starshiba

NEWMARKET:

Virgo

POSTDATA:

Twilight Secret

Telegraph:

Twilight Secret

The Star:

Twilight Secret

The Times:

Starshiba

The Sun:

Starshiba

Daily Mail:

Finery

Daily Express:

Finery

Daily Mirror:

Finery

Daily Record:

Finery