Topweight holds the key to this handicap prize, but will his stamina hold?

Monday: 1.50 Chepstow
Dragon Bet Apprentice Handicap | 7f | 4yo+ | Sky

Mighty Gurkha, a beaten 10-11 favourite in first-time cheekpieces last time out, has a losing run of 13 in races over six furlongs to break.

That last success was achieved in January 2021 off an official rating of 102 in a Kempton All-Weather Championships Fast Track Qualifier, in which subsequent dual Wokingham winner Rohaan finished last of five.

Mighty Gurkha’s mark has dropped to 85 and promising apprentice Taylor Fisher takes 7lb off the topweight’s back.

Despite that string of defeats, there are many plus points towards his chance and trainer Archie Watson could have found the perfect opportunity if Mighty Gurkha stays this extra furlong.

There are no stamina concerns over course-and-distance scorer Macs Dilemma, who seeks a fifth win of a highly productive year.

He boasts Chepstow form figures of 131 and is 2lb higher than when posting his latest success.

Fangorn looks a seven-furlong specialist and seems sure to run his race, although there does not appear to be much margin for error in his current mark of 69.

Gilt Edge, who represents the bang-in-form Christopher Mason stable, has raced almost exclusively over sprint trips during the last 12 months.

However, she did finish second over a little further than this at Ffos Las last July, worn down near the finish, and is now 5lb lower in the weights.

The daughter of Havana Gold could well give Mighty Gurkha something to think about in receipt of 11lb.
Race analysis by Richard Birch

What they say

Bill Turner, trainer of Little Boy Blue
We could do with some rain as he is far better on soft ground. He has won off higher marks, so he’s not badly weighted at present. He hung a bit last time, so should be suited by this straight track if he can get against the rail.

Stuart Kittow, trainer of Newton Jack
We need some rain and he might not take his chance if it doesn’t come, but he is well enough handicapped at present. I don’t know the jockey [Owen Lewis] myself but the owner wanted him and he takes off a valuable 7lb.

Shaun Lycett, trainer of Painless Potter
He bled a couple of times when he was with Alan [King] but ran a nice race in his first run for me and did not bleed. He finished fifth in the Coventry a couple of years ago and the idea is to try to get his confidence back.

Mick Channon, trainer of Fangorn
He’s in good nick but he is a highly strung horse. He ran well at Yarmouth last time but he boiled over at Brighton in his race before. He did a similar thing at Salisbury, but apart from those two races he’s been quite consistent this season. You need to see his demeanour before the race - if he is sweating up that is a bad sign.

Christopher Mason, trainer of Gilt Edge
She’s been running well over six furlongs so we’ve kept her mostly at that trip this year, but she did run well over seven and a half furlongs at Ffos Las last season. Probably six and a half furlongs would be ideal but, as she’s getting older and wiser, seven furlongs should be fine.
Reporting by Michael Robson

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