August 18 / 16.55 Newbury

16.55

Good To Soft

BetVictor Apprentice Handicap

  • Prize money: £4527.4
  • 1m 2f 0y
  • Class 5
  • 7 runners
RTV
View Course
BetVictor Apprentice Handicap

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Cloudy

7/2 (Won)

  • Win: £3.13
  • Place: £1.90

Form: 481232

Last run: 5 days

W: 9st 5lb

3 yo Filly

OR: 66

Form & Verdict
Blinkered on last five starts and it seems to have done the trick judged on last four performances, winning under Alec Voikhansky on first occasion; showed she stays 1m2f on last two, the latest when she came from the back to be beaten a neck at Windsor on Monday; major player off the same mark.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

6

26th Oct 2023

Standard

1m 0f 1y

Class 6

16:15 Lingfield (AW)

Al Hargah

9st 11lb

J: Sean Levey

T: Richard Hannon

in touch with leaders, outpaced 2f out, carried head awkwardly and weakened gradually from over 1f out

8/1

9th

10

(5)

7th Oct 2023

Good

1m 2f 1y

Class 5

14:10 Redcar

Al Hargah

9st 8lb

J: Hollie Doyle

T: Richard Hannon

Two handicap wins this season (1m and 1m2f, good to firm and good to soft); wouldn't judge her too harshly on her last two efforts (both on soft) and she's more appealing than many.

9/2

7th

4

(8)

20th Sep 2023

Soft

1m 1f 209y

Class 5

17:25 Sandown

Al Hargah

9st 8lb

J: Alec Voikhansky

T: Richard Hannon

Two narrow wins this summer, over 1m at Leicester (good to firm) and 1m2f at Newbury (good to soft) and both under Alec Voikhansky; form dipped on soft going last Tuesday but she's a major player if bouncing back.

6/1

2nd
4 (9)
Meleri

10/1

  • Place: £2.90

Form: 457-64 D

Last run: 49 days

W: 9st 12lb

4 yo Filly

OR: 66

Form & Verdict
First and second last summer (1m2f, good) in her first two handicaps; has not lived up to that but fourth of ten at Newmarket (race she won last year) on latest start was respectable; not totally ruled out.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

11th

14

(1)

24th Sep 2025

Standard To Slow

1m 2f 219y

Class 4

18:10 Kempton (AW)

Meleri

9st 4lb

J: Pat Cosgrave

T: Jim Boyle

Won on Polytrack at Lingfield (1m4f) in June; solid second back there earlier this month; slowly away when sixth over C&D last Thursday and threatened not to start at all a couple of times this year; risky.

25/1

6th

6

(10)

18th Sep 2025

Standard To Slow

1m 2f 219y

Class 5

19:45 Kempton (AW)

Meleri

10st 0lb

J: Luke Catton

T: Jim Boyle

Returned to winning form when beating Solanna at Lingfield (1m4f, Polytrack) in June and ran a solid race when second of six back there ten days ago; shortlisted on those efforts, but twice proved reluctant to race during the summer so does come with risks attached.

6/1

2

(2)

8th Sep 2025

Standard

1m 4f 0y

Class 5

14:22 Lingfield (AW)

Meleri

9st 10lb

J: Pat Cosgrave

T: Jim Boyle

Won over C&D in June and was a respectable fourth at Kempton (1m4f, AW) on Friday but she's not easy to predict and looked reluctant to race on her penultimate run; comes with risks attached and others are more solid.

8/1

Form: 6-3253

Last run: 22 days

W: 9st 5lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 59

Form & Verdict
Seven-race maiden and his best form has come on AW but he was a respectable third on soft ground here (1m4f) on latest start; 1lb lower on this drop back in trip and has a place squeak.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

5

(3)

30th Apr 2026

Standard

1m 4f 0y

Class 6

18:10 Lingfield (AW)

Imperial Cult

9st 4lb

J: Neil Callan

T: George Baker

Won three times in the summer of 2024, including twice over C&D; several good runs in defeat last year and he starts out for George Baker (same owner) off a competitive mark; one to consider.

5/1

3

(2)

4th Nov 2025

Standard

1m 7f 169y

Class 6

14:40 Lingfield (AW)

Imperial Cult

9st 12lb

J: Jack Callan

T: Rachel Cook & John Bridger

Record is 3-35; couple of third-place finishes since wearing blinkers, latest at Newbury when stepped back up to 2m (usually races over middle distances); could go well in the retained headgear.

12/1

Form: 28150- D

Last run: 317 days

W: 9st 11lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 65

Form & Verdict
Won by a nose off this mark at Leicester (1m2f, good to firm) in June 2022 but not so good in his four starts since, the last two over hurdles; off since February (pulled up; reportedly bled) and needs to resume in peak form.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

2

(3)

21st Dec 2023

Standard

1m 6f 0y

Class 6

20:30 Chelmsford (AW)

Benjamin Bear

9st 12lb

J: Millie Wonnacott

T: Alan King

1m2f winner on fast turf; placed once from six AW starts; handy mark but he's hard to fancy based on his last few starts across both codes.

12/1

10th

1

16th Nov 2023

Good To Soft

2m 0f 125y

Class 4

12:30 Market Rasen

Benjamin Bear

11st 4lb

J: Tom Cannon

T: Alan King

Flat winner in June 2022 but not in anything like the same form since, including in two hurdles runs last winter; something to prove.

20/1

4/1

Form: 094611 D

Last run: 29 days

W: 10st 2lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 70

Form & Verdict
All turf wins on good/firmer but has bits of creditable form on slow ground too; 1m2f wins at Windsor and Chepstow (in tidy style in a slowly run race) on last two outings, so he's on a roll and has to be on the shortlist.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

4

(2)

18th Aug 2025

Good To Firm

1m 3f 99y

Class 5

16:21 Windsor

Carp Kid

9st 3lb

J: Saffie Osborne

T: John & Rhys Flint

Veteran who's had ten wins overall and has a 3-22 record at Windsor, which also includes five seconds; he's not sparked this season but the best of those performances was a C&D third on reappearance and he's now 8lb lower, racing off a career-low mark.

10/1

1

(3)

1st Aug 2025

Good To Firm

1m 3f 137y

Class 6

20:05 Bath

Carp Kid

10st 0lb

J: William Cox

T: John & Rhys Flint

10yo who is a ten-time winner, but he's not posed a threat in four runs this season and was beaten 8l at Ffos Las (1m4f, good) last time; mark continues to fall but he needs to rediscover his spark.

16/1

11/2

Form: 574133 C

Last run: 23 days

W: 9st 4lb

4 yo Filly

OR: 58

Form & Verdict
Wore cheekpieces on last four starts, grinding out a narrow win here (1m3f, good to firm) under Olivia Tubb on second occasion; creditable third at Sandown (1m2f) latest; firmly in each-way calculations.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

6

(1)

25th May 2026

Good To Firm

1m 3f 99y

Class 5

14:08 Windsor

Mrembo

8st 11lb

J: Rob Hornby

T: Jonathan Portman

Has several pieces of C&D form, including a success in 2023 and respectable fourth in latest start; competitively handicapped, having gained last three wins off just 1lb lower; enters calculations.

4/1

4th

5

(3)

11th May 2026

Good To Firm

1m 3f 99y

Class 5

20:17 Windsor

Mrembo

9st 5lb

J: Joe Leavy

T: Jonathan Portman

All five wins on good or quicker ground, including firm; C&D winner who finished close up behind one who was ahead of her mark in this race last year and she's likely to be primed for this; leading claims for in-form yard.

5/1

3rd

2

(7)

4th May 2026

Firm

1m 3f 137y

Class 6

16:35 Bath

Mrembo

9st 8lb

J: Olivia Tubb

T: Jonathan Portman

Five-time winner over 1m2f-11.7f on turf; beaten under 2l after a break at Kempton and might have gone close with more luck.

7/2

Form: 88-6

Last run: 115 days

W: 9st 6lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 67

Form & Verdict
No impact in two 7f AW maidens at Wolverhampton last November and it was the same story in a novice there this April but this time he showed more promise, making some late progress from rear; up 3f (dam 1m-1m2f winner) for this handicap and turf debut; needs a market check.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

7

31st Oct 2024

Good

2m 0f 190y

Class 4

14:15 Newcastle

Moonfleet Moment

11st 3lb

J: Derek Fox

T: Adam Nicol

Ex-Harry Eustace; lightly raced maiden at up to 1m4f on the Flat (tailed off on AW after 424-day break on stable debut two weeks ago); plenty to prove on his jumps debut.

33/1

7th

7

31st Oct 2024

Good

2m 0f 190y

Class 4

14:15 Newcastle

Moonfleet Moment

11st 3lb

J: Derek Fox

T: Adam Nicol

Ex-Harry Eustace; lightly raced maiden at up to 1m4f on the Flat (tailed off on AW after 424-day break on stable debut two weeks ago); plenty to prove on his jumps debut.

33/1

9th

4

(6)

15th Oct 2024

Standard

1m 4f 99y

Class 6

16:25 Newcastle (AW)

Moonfleet Moment

9st 10lb

J: Ben Robinson

T: Adam Nicol

Out of the frame in four starts over 7f/1m2f for Harry Eustace; cheekpieces given a go on stable debut after 14 months off; plenty to prove.

33/1

Non-runners

Precision Storm, Lady Reset, Eton Blue, The Bay Warrior

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £15.90
Straight Forecast £15.01
Tricast £34.72
Trifecta £46.60

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Al Hargah

The Times:

Mrembo

Telegraph:

Carp Kid

POSTDATA:

Meleri

The Sun:

Eton Blue

RP RATINGS:

Lady Reset

Daily Mirror:

Al Hargah

The Star:

Al Hargah

Daily Record:

Al Hargah

The Guardian:

Mrembo

Daily Mail:

Mrembo

D Express:

Carp Kid