April 12 / 16.05 Nottingham

16.05

Good

Alex Ashton Stag Party Apprentice Handicap

  • Prize money: £3402.1
  • 0m 5f 8y
  • Class 6
  • 7 runners
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Alex Ashton Stag Party Apprentice Handicap

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

OUR TIP

11/4 (Won)

  • Win: £5.50
  • Place: £2.50

Form: 619-72 D

Last run: 15 days

W: 10st 0lb

5 yo Colt

OR: 64

Form & Verdict
Runner-up in this class on the AW at Southwell latest, his second start following a breathing operation; fine on turf as well, so should be thereabouts.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

2

(3)

7th Jul 2026

Good

0m 5f 3y

Class 5

16:48 Pontefract

Betweenthesticks

10st 0lb

J: James Sullivan

T: Ruth Carr

Dual C&D winner and again ran well when dead-heating for second with Dream Deal behind Hover On The Wind here eight days ago; likely to be bang there again.

5/1

2nd

1

(2)

29th Jun 2026

Good

0m 5f 3y

Class 5

16:30 Pontefract

Betweenthesticks

10st 1lb

J: James Sullivan

T: Ruth Carr

Scored narrowly off 1lb lower over C&D when completing an April double; unable to sustain a good start to the campaign, having shown a dip in form the last twice.

10/1

6th

2

(6)

3rd Jun 2026

Good

0m 5f 0y

Class 5

20:12 Ripon

Betweenthesticks

9st 9lb

J: James Sullivan

T: Ruth Carr

Kicked off the season with back-to-back 5f wins at Wolverhampton and Pontefract before being run down by Vince L'Amour over C&D (Hurt You Never third) next time; nowhere near those same levels at Pontefract (ninth of ten) latest, so needs to bounce back.

9/1

9/4

  • Place: £1.90

Form: 5222-3 C

Last run: 10 days

W: 9st 9lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 59

Form & Verdict
Sole win gained in 6f Class 6 handicap here last summer; went close over this trip at Musselburgh on last week's reappearance; contender.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

1

(11)

18th Jul 2026

Good

0m 6f 0y

Class 6

17:35 Ripon

Sergeant Mayer

9st 12lb

J: Alex Jary

T: Nigel Tinkler

Course winner who is well handicapped on last season's form and is one to watch in the betting; however, he finished down the field on his three starts this spring and needs to turn things around.

16/1

9th

11

(3)

18th May 2026

Good

0m 5f 217y

Class 6

15:40 Redcar

Sergeant Mayer

9st 4lb

J: Alex Jary

T: Nigel Tinkler

Best known as a 5f performer but has won over 6f; always behind on last month's reappearance outing and finished last of six after racing too freely in refitted cheekpieces a fortnight later (also 5f); on good mark but needs to get his season up and running.

16/1

Form: 634208 D

Last run: 32 days

W: 9st 6lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 56

Form & Verdict
Veteran, formerly pretty useful; tends to start slowly but was still good enough to win Class 5 handicap in December; blew the start and tried to challenge wide around the turn in steadily run 6f Class 5 AW Wolverhampton handicap latest; could be competitive again now from lower turf mark if not giving them too much of a start.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

2

(5)

25th Apr 2026

Standard

0m 4f 214y

Class 6

17:30 Southwell (AW)

Brian The Snail

9st 8lb

J: Donagh Murphy

T: Patrick Morris

Veteran with 14 wins on his CV; kept on for third when dropped back to 5f at Newcastle 12 days ago but is inconsistent nowadays and younger rivals appeal more.

8/1

3rd

8

(7)

13th Apr 2026

Standard

0m 5f 0y

Class 5

20:30 Newcastle (AW)

Brian The Snail

8st 13lb

J: William Pyle

T: Patrick Morris

Veteran who never featured in a 6f handicap at Wolverhampton nine days ago; drops back to 5f with a point to prove.

20/1

8th

6

(1)

4th Apr 2026

Standard

0m 6f 20y

Class 5

18:55 Wolverhampton (AW)

Brian The Snail

9st 0lb

J: James Sullivan

T: Patrick Morris

Slow-starting veteran who is having his 100th outing this evening; he has won 14 times already and his latest Newcastle fourth was a solid effort; should go well again.

10/1

Form: -54058 D

Last run: 14 days

W: 9st 10lb

5 yo Colt

OR: 60

Form & Verdict
Headstrong; has been suited by this trip on quick ground, a pure speed test, as he showed when winning Class 5 Yarmouth handicap last summer; hasn't been racing with much zip on the AW more recently, over 6f on last three starts, but good chance he bounces back under these conditions with cheekpieces replacing hood; drops into Class 6 handicap for first time.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

3

(4)

16th Sep 2025

Good To Firm

0m 5f 0y

Class 6

15:33 Redcar

Match Play

9st 11lb

J: David Nolan

T: Paul Midgley

Mainly consistent form this term, winning at Pontefract in June (5f, good to firm) and finishing in the places twice since; best on fast ground; each-way chance.

15/2

1

(7)

27th Aug 2025

Good

0m 5f 1y

Class 6

17:05 Musselburgh

Match Play

9st 9lb

J: David Nolan

T: Paul Midgley

Has won once in each of the last four seasons, at Pontefract in June this time round; three creditable placings from his other four starts this summer, so he's still a contender.

6/1

2nd

3

(4)

15th Aug 2025

Good To Firm

0m 5f 42y

Class 5

15:25 Yarmouth

Match Play

9st 7lb

J: Daniel Muscutt

T: Paul Midgley

Finds his one race a year, which in 2024 was a C&D 0-70 off 3lb higher (good to firm) on his sole previous course visit; unable to race as prominently as preferred at York latest, and back in calmer waters here.

12/1

Form: 32415- D

Last run: 163 days

W: 9st 9lb

7 yo Filly

OR: 59

Form & Verdict
Seven-time winner who goes on all sorts of ground, but conceding race-fitness to most of these; unappealing.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

1

(4)

3rd Jul 2026

Good To Firm

0m 5f 16y

Class 6

18:45 Chepstow

Bama Lama

9st 9lb

J: Oliver Searle

T: Rod Millman

Seven wins include two at this track over 6f (good to soft/good to firm) but her last success came in October 2024; beat only one rival home on her reappearance here over 6f last month and now drops back in trip on her return to classified company.

10/1

6th

6

(2)

15th Jun 2026

Good To Soft

0m 6f 16y

Class 6

16:33 Chepstow

Bama Lama

8st 9lb

J: Oliver Searle

T: Rod Millman

Mudlark who starts her campaign off a lowly mark; she has a nine-month absence to overcome, however, and that hasn't been the time to catch her in previous seasons.

14/1

6th

6

(8)

14th Sep 2025

Heavy

0m 5f 10y

Class 6

16:50 Bath

Bama Lama

9st 0lb

J: Oliver Searle

T: Rod Millman

Effectively 11lb lower than when winning on heavy ground at Windsor (5f) last October but placed on only one of her nine appearances this year and evidently not as good as she was.

8/1

Form: 64420-

Last run: 162 days

W: 9st 4lb

4 yo Filly

OR: 54

Form & Verdict
0-9; runner-up three times and these conditions should be fine, but unappealing on reappearance.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

13th

14

(4)

18th Nov 2025

Standard

0m 6f 0y

Class 6

18:45 Newcastle (AW)

Northerner

9st 0lb

J: Dale Swift

T: Brian Ellison

Maiden who has bits of respectable 5f form at Newcastle; gives the impression this return to 6f is worth exploring on first run since wind surgery; one for the shortlist.

10/1

14

(2)

19th Sep 2025

Standard

0m 5f 0y

Class 6

20:15 Newcastle (AW)

Northerner

9st 3lb

J: Ben Robinson

T: Brian Ellison

0-13 but she has shown winning potential, including over C&D; respectable effort in a handicap here 11 days ago but she was behind Lady Of The Garr on that occasion.

10/1

3rd

10

(6)

8th Sep 2025

Standard To Slow

0m 5f 0y

Class 6

20:40 Newcastle (AW)

Northerner

8st 10lb

J: Shay Farmer

T: Brian Ellison

12-race maiden; effective over C&D but she has work to do with Dorothy May on their recent C&D run.

8/1

Form: 132340 D

Last run: 18 days

W: 9st 1lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 51

Form & Verdict
Unplaced in five previous starts on turf for a different trainer; has since gained two wins in 5f Class 6s on the AW; disappointing latest but could be competitive from lowly mark.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8

(9)

23rd May 2025

Firm

0m 5f 160y

Class 6

14:50 Bath

Dash Gordon

9st 1lb

J: Rob Hornby

T: Joe Ponting

Dual 5f Tapeta winner who achieved little in three runs over 6f-7f for Michael Appleby; has been inclined to hang left more than once and is some way down the pecking order for his new yard, having been picked up for just 1,000gns.

20/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £19.10
Straight Forecast £22.49
Trifecta £65.90

Selections

RP RATINGS:

Sergeant Mayer

The Guardian:

Betweenthesticks

D Express:

Northerner

SPOTLIGHT:

Match Play

Telegraph:

Brian The Snail

POSTDATA:

Sergeant Mayer

The Times:

Sergeant Mayer

Daily Mail:

Sergeant Mayer

Daily Mirror:

Sergeant Mayer

Daily Record:

Sergeant Mayer

The Sun:

Betweenthesticks

The Star:

Betweenthesticks