William Hill Price Boosts Apprentice Handicap Stakes

17:23 Newmarket (July) Sat 08 Aug 2026 1m6f Class 5 Good to Firm 6 runners

Mr Fox’s call

Fram Castle

MEDIUM Advised 4/1 Est. 30%

🥉 3RD

Mr Fox says

Fram Castle (SR 63, 4/1) carries just 9-1 — the joint-lightest weight in the field — and is trained by Michael Wigham whose 22% strike rate from 73 runners is the best in this field. The horse has steamed in 16% from its opening price, the strongest market move in the race, suggesting informed support. The visor (first-time headgear noted as 'v') often galvanises a horse stepping back into form, and while the form reads '760-82', the most recent '2' shows a return to competitiveness. Stepping up one class is a mild negative but the weight and connections more than compensate in this modest Class 5 heat. Each-way alternative: Prince Quattro. Main danger: Jack Langley — Jack Langley (SR 74, 2/1) has a confirmed strong distance record (DistFit:+) and a trainer strike rate of 22%, and despite drifting 20% — which is a genuine concern — a horse with proven stamina at 1m6f in a thin field of six cannot be entirely dismissed at a price that may represent over-reaction to the drift.

Verify· #11439

Full result

Winner: Prince Quattro (IRE) at SP 100/30. Mr Fox’s picks highlighted in gold.

1 Prince Quattro Fox #2 James Owen · Mason Paetel 5/2
2 Jack Langley Fox #3 Charlie Clover · Jack Callan 15/8
3 Fram Castle Fox #1 Michael Wigham · Alexandra Egan(5) 7/2
4 Dereham Fox #4 John Berry · Molly Keegan-Price(7) 12/1
5 Stitching Wheel Chris Grant · Cian Horgan(3) 10/1
6 Baltic Lucy Wadham · Ashley Lewis 9/1

Top 4 — how each finished

1 Fram Castle 4/1 🥉 3RD
2 Prince Quattro 9/4 SP 100/30 🏆 WON
3 Jack Langley 2/1 🥈 2ND
4 Dereham 10/1 🏁 4TH