18:05 Newbury

Thursday 3 July 2025

All18:0518:4019:1519:5020:2521:00

Legal Protection Group Ltd Apprentice Handicap

Off time: 18:07 | Winning time: 1m 0.84s

(7)

Lequinto³^{(ex 12)}

Age: 8| Weight: 10-4| J: Matthew Slater⁽⁵⁾| T: A W Carroll| OR: 58| D

10/11

Arrives on a roll having notched up a quick Windsor hat-trick (all under Matthew Lloyd Slater). Had plenty in hand over 6f on Monday evening and hard to beat again if showing up in a similar mood.

Form: 554111

(6)

Faustus⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: Ryan Kavanagh| T: R Cook & J Bridger| OR: 68| CD

18/1

C&D winner. 8/1 and blinkered first time, last of 4 in handicap at Salisbury (5f, good to firm) 8 days ago, doing too much too soon.

Form: 6-04004

(3)

Aces Wild³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: Taryn Langley⁽³⁾| T: A Wintle| OR: 68| D

11/1

Eleven runs since last win in 2024. 11/2, fourth of 7 in handicap at Wolverhampton (6f) 30 days ago, unable to sustain effort.

Form: 353824

(5)

Merrimack^t,v²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-13| J: Olivia Haines⁽⁵⁾| T: S C Williams| OR: 65| BF| D

8/1

Fourteen runs since last win in 2024. Third of 4 in handicap at Brighton (5.3f, good, 9/4) 24 days ago. Enters the reckoning for a stable enjoying a very good spell.

Form: 230243

(1)

The Defiant^p,t⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 9-7| J: Mikkel Mortensen⁽³⁾| T: L A Dace| OR: 59| D

20/1

18/1, 4¼ lengths fourth of 7 to Lequinto in handicap at Windsor (5f, good to firm) on Saturday. The was his first outing for 12 weeks so he could be a bit sharper with that behind him.

Form: 713454

(4)

Horus²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: K S McHugh⁽⁵⁾| T: Michael Keady| OR: 63

40/1

Seventh of 10 in handicap at Lingfield (6f, AW, 8/1) 28 days ago. Back on his last winning mark but need to see more.

Form: 470307

(8)

Sarafina Mshairi⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Warren Fentiman| T: E Smyth-Osbourne| OR: 62| D

13/2

Winner at Wolverhampton in February. Good fourth of 11 in handicap (13/2) at this course (6f, good to firm) on turf debut 9 days ago. Relatively unexposed and could go well under Warren Fentiman.

Form: 434-314

(2)

Roach Power^b⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 9-4| J: C Horgan⁽³⁾| T: M Wigham| OR: 56| D

9/2

Fourteen runs since last win in 2023. Creditable third of 6 in handicap (11/1) at Hamilton (6f, good to firm) 7 days ago, racing in a clear for a long. The drop to 5f may suit him.

Form: 9-97333

Forecasts

Lequinto (10/11), Roach Power (9/2), Sarafina Mshairi (13/2), Merrimack (8/1), Aces Wild (11/1), Faustus (18/1), The Defiant (20/1), Horus (40/1)

The penalties are mounting up for LEQUINTO but he had lots in hand at Windsor on Monday and should take all the beating again. The speed Roach Power has shown in recent starts suggests this drop to 5f may help and he's second choice ahead of lightly-raced 3-y-o Sarafina Mshairi.