17:30 Musselburgh

Friday 23 June 2023

All17:3018:0518:4019:1519:5020:2521:00

GTC Apprentice Handicap

Off time: 17:31 | Winning time: 1m 41.84s

(5)

Merricourt¹⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 9-12| J: Archie Young⁽⁷⁾| T: I Jardine| OR: 60| CD

9/2

Runner-up both visits here in 7f handicaps this season and wasn't seen to best effect at Ayr recently. Now 4 lb below last winning mark and he has to enter calculations.

Form: 052426

(3)

Engles Rock^b1,t1³⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 9-12| J: Ben Sanderson| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 60| D

25/1

Bagged a couple of handicaps at Ayr in 2022 but this season's efforts leave much to be desired. Usual cheekpieces replaced with first-time blinkers/tongue strap.

Form: 64-5508

(2)

Little Ted^p⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 9-6| J: Sean Kirrane| T: T D Easterby| OR: 54| CD

7/2

Not the most reliable but arrives here on the back of a good effort at Nottingham (10.2f, good to firm) where he found just one too good in an 8-runner handicap off this mark. Has won twice at this trip in the past (including over C&D) and merits respect.

Form: 09-3682

(1)

Without Delay²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: William Pyle⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss Tracy Waggott| OR: 52| CD

6/1

Gained breakthrough success over this C&D last summer but that's her sole win from 17 career starts, and she failed to build on the promise of her first 2 efforts this season when last of 6 back here 20 days ago.

Form: 056-446

(7)

Chinese Spirit⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 9-4| J: Mark Winn⁽³⁾| T: Miss L A Perratt| OR: 52| C| D

9/2

Thoroughly exposed 9-y-o but he's just 1 lb above the mark off which he scored here last summer, and another win looks imminent judged on recent near-misses over this C&D and at Hamilton. Major player.

Form: 5-55922

(8)

How Bizarre³

Age: 8| Weight: 9-3| J: Aiden Brookes⁽³⁾| T: L Bailey| OR: 51| BF| CD

9/4

Not one to set your watch by but is standing up well to what has been a busy 2023 campaign, scoring over C&D early last month and plenty of solid efforts in defeat either side of that. Should give another good account.

Form: 414442

(6)

Banner Road²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: Amie Waugh⁽³⁾| T: J S Goldie| OR: 49

14/1

Stepped up on last season's form when chasing home How Bizarre off this mark on her reappearance over C&D. However, it would be something of an understatement to say that she has failed to build on that since.

Form: 649-287

Non-Runners

(4)

Fanzone³⁹

Weight: 9-6| Age: 6

T: L Bailey J: Brandon Wilkie

(9)

Hollis Brown³⁹

Weight: 8-12| Age: 4

T: Miss L A Perratt J: Andrew Breslin

Forecasts

How Bizarre (9/4), Little Ted (7/2), Chinese Spirit (9/2), Merricourt (9/2), Without Delay (6/1), Fanzone (10/1), Banner Road (14/1), Engles Rock (25/1), Hollis Brown (50/1)

CHINESE SPIRIT deserves to get his head in front following a couple of close calls off this mark in recent weeks, and he is taken to do just that. The 9-y-o may have most to fear from Merricourt, while Little Ted and How Bizarre, though not the most reliable of types on balance, are also live contenders in current form.