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Border Minstrel Pub Apprentice Handicap Stakes

13:45 Newcastle (AW) Wed 02 Sep 2026 1m2f43y Class 6 Good 8 runners

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Mr Fox’s call

Koko Blue silks

Koko Blue

SPECULATIVE Advised 9/4 SP 11/8F Est. 32%

🏆 WON

Mr Fox says

Koko Blue carries the highest SR in the field at 65, has the lightest competitive weight at 9-6, and is trained by Tom Clover (14% strike rate, 285 runners — the most statistically reliable yard here). The 9/4 market position reflects genuine confidence and the three-star AI probability rating separates it from every other runner. While GoingFit and DistFit are both '?' (insufficient samples), the form string 0-3323 shows consistent placing at this class level with no obvious horror runs, and at age 4 there is scope for further improvement. The SR advantage of 2lb over the next-best (Ravenscraig Castle at 63) combined with a weight edge over several rivals makes this a clear top selection. Each-way alternative: Ravenscraig Castle. Main danger: Ravenscraig Castle — Ravenscraig Castle (SR 63, 9/2) has steamed in 20% in the market, carries confirmed GoingFit:+ on today's good ground, and the addition of blinkers (HG:b) on a horse that finished 4th last time out at the same class suggests connections expect a clear step forward.

Verify· #15563

Full result

Winner: Koko Blue (GB) at SP 11/8F. Mr Fox’s picks highlighted in gold.

  1. 1 Koko Blue silks Koko Blue Fox #1 Tom Clover · Molly Keegan-Price(5) 2/1
  2. 2 Ravenscraig Castle silks Ravenscraig Castle Fox #2 Iain Jardine · Cara Tuke(5) 6/1
  3. 3 It's A Love Thing silks It's A Love Thing Sam England · Cian Horgan 11/2
  4. 4 Game Management silks Game Management Lizzie Quinlan · Jake Dickson(3) 10/1
  5. 5 Kameel silks Kameel Jessica Macey · Jack Dace 15/2
  6. 6 Millbuie silks Millbuie Ewan Whillans · Rhys Elliott 10/1
  7. 7 Bridgefoot Rambler silks Bridgefoot Rambler Stephen Hanlon · Conor Whiteley 22/1
  8. — Love You More silks Love You More Fox #3 Joseph Parr · Harry Vigors 5/1

Top 4 — how each finished

  1. 1 Koko Blue silks Koko Blue 9/4 SP 11/8F 🏆 WON
  2. 2 Ravenscraig Castle silks Ravenscraig Castle 9/2 🥈 2ND
  3. 3 Love You More silks Love You More 11/2