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7:30

Sheldrake Training Limited 'train An Apprentice' Handicap Stakes (gbbplus Race)

Newbury · 26 August 2026
  • TypeFlat
  • ClassClass 4
  • Distance1m2f
  • GoingGood To Firm
  • SurfaceTurf
  • Runners7
  • HandicapYes

Magical Merlot (GB) (4/1) won the Sheldrake Training Limited 'train An Apprentice' Handicap Stakes (gbbplus Race) at Newbury on 26 August 2026, beating Empirical (IRE) by half a length under David Egan for trainer Ed Dunlop. 7 ran on Good To Firm going over 1m2f; the winning time was 2m 5.67s.

Winner Magical Merlot (GB)
SP: 4/1 J: David Egan T: Ed Dunlop O: Johnny Hall
Pos No Horse Btn Jockey Trainer Wgt ORKTBSpd Time Prize SP BSP
1st 5(2) Magical Merlot (GB) 3g Held up Make Believe (GB) – Melodic Motion (IRE) (Nathaniel) Johnny Hall Sat close behind the front group - made ground into contention approaching 2f out - hit the front inside the final furlong then edged off a straight line - kept finding under pressure to win David Egan Ed Dunlop 9-4 7584A88A 2:05.67 7,328 4/1 6.20
2nd 1(9) Empirical (IRE) b 3g Kingman (GB) – Hidden Breeze (GB) (Dark Angel) Tbt Racing Fought for control early - raced wide in the early stages and travelled well - went ahead approaching 2f out - overtaken with a furlong left - drifted right inside the final furlong - stayed on to go down by a short margin ½ Kieran Shoemark Ed Walker 9-9 8087A87A 2:05.75 3,438 3/1 4.40
3rd 2(1) Edwin Hubble (IRE) b 3g Space Blues (IRE) – Kaladena (IRE) (Daylami) Manton Thoroughbreds X Settled at the back - nudged into contention from 3f out - progress to challenge over 1f out - stayed on to take third close home 2½ Oisin Murphy Brian Meehan 9-9 8082A84A 2:06.17 1,718 7/4F 3.10
4th 6(3) Island Bear (IRE) b 3g Kodi Bear (IRE) – Lil's Joy (IRE) (Lilbourne Lad) Chris Stedman Settled towards the back early - made progress from 2f out but couldn't reach the front pair - edged out of third close home nk Billy Loughnane Dr Richard Newland 9-4 7576A84A 2:06.21 860 18/1 19.00
5th 7(8) Eagles Attire (IRE) 3g Held up Gleneagles (IRE) – Fashion Statement (GB) (Rainbow Quest) Valmont Held up eagerly early - sat close to pace before being asked for effort 3f out - lost ground final furlong to finish 5th 4¼ Hector Crouch Oliver Cole 9-3 7466A78A 2:06.92 428 12/1 15.63
6th 3(6) Livemore (GB) 3c Prominent Ulysses (IRE) – Rock Choir (GB) (Pivotal) The Property Investor Partnership Ltd Sent clear from the break - stayed prominent until being passed inside the final two furlongs - dropped away in the last furlong to finish sixth 1¾ Callum Rodriguez T J Kent 9-9 8068A76A 2:07.21 — 12/1 20.00
7th 8(7) Guesstimate (GB) 3f Sea The Moon (GER) – Approximate (GB) (Dubawi) Ian Christine Beard Family Settled towards the back fighting for control - improved and edged out wide 4f out - lost ground final furlong to finish 7th 14 Tom Marquand William Haggas 9-2 7348C58C 2:09.55 — 7/1 8.33
NR Magnatura — Sean Levey Tom Ward — ——— — — — —
NR Fans Favourite — Marco Ghiani Hugo Palmer — ——— — — — —

Winning time 2m 5.67s

Non-runners Magnatura, Fans Favourite

KTB figures KTB Rating v1 · batch 3 Oct 2026 — what each horse ran to in this race, in pounds on the official-rating scale (7 of 9 runners have a figure). KTB Speed v1 · batch 15 Sep 2026 — how fast each horse ran against the course standard; 100 = the median GB Class 4 handicap winner on this code (7 of 9 runners have a figure). GB & Irish racing only · figures as at 4 Oct 2026 · a record of the race, not a forecast.

Returns

Tote Win £5
Tote Place £2.40 £2
Exacta £20.20
CSF £16.47
Trifecta £53.80
KTB Intelligence AI race report

**Magical Merlot won the Sheldrake Training Limited 'Train An Apprentice' Handicap Stakes at Newbury over 1m2f on good to firm ground at SP 4/1.** The winner sat close behind the leaders, made steady progress to challenge approaching the 2f marker, hit the front inside the final furlong and kept responding under pressure despite edging off a straight line. Empirical fought for the lead early, raced wide and travelled strongly before taking the lead approaching 2f out, only to be headed with a furlong to go; he drifted right inside the final furlong but stayed on to finish a neck behind in second. Edwin Hubble took third, three-quarters of a length further back.

The pre-race read Newbury 7:30 Race Preview — 26 August 2026 This Class 4 apprentice handicap over 1m2f at Newbury on good to firm ground brings together nine three-year-olds, several of whom arrive in decent form. How we read it before the off →
How we called it Unplaced
KTB Selection Livemore 62/100 top-rated of 9
Advised 13/2 SP 12/1 Finished 6th

Scored before the off and published unchanged. Every call is shown, won or lost.

Quick answers

Who won the Sheldrake Training Limited 'train An Apprentice' Handicap Stakes (gbbplus Race) at Newbury in 2026?
Magical Merlot (GB) won the Sheldrake Training Limited 'train An Apprentice' Handicap Stakes (gbbplus Race) at Newbury on 26 August 2026, ridden by David Egan and trained by Ed Dunlop.
What was the finishing order of the 2026 Sheldrake Training Limited 'train An Apprentice' Handicap Stakes at Newbury?
1st Magical Merlot (GB) (4/1), 2nd Empirical (IRE) (3/1), 3rd Edwin Hubble (IRE) (7/4F).
What price was the winner of the 2026 Sheldrake Training Limited 'train An Apprentice' Handicap Stakes at Newbury?
Magical Merlot (GB) returned a starting price of 4/1, with a Betfair SP of 6.20.
How many horses ran in the 2026 Sheldrake Training Limited 'train An Apprentice' Handicap Stakes at Newbury?
7 horses ran in the 2026 Sheldrake Training Limited 'train An Apprentice' Handicap Stakes at Newbury. Non-runners: Magnatura, Fans Favourite.
What was the winning time of the 2026 Sheldrake Training Limited 'train An Apprentice' Handicap Stakes at Newbury?
The winning time was 2m 5.67s.

Newbury racecourse statistics →