The red-hot Chris Mason is on course for his most prolific season after he saddled four winners from just six runners last week.
Based in Caerwent, Mason has long been involved in the sport and many of his string are homebreds.
However, in recent years his operation has gone to another level and he seems set for a record-breaking campaign after striking gold recently.
He made the most of Ffos Las racing twice last week and was on the mark with All Ways Glamorous and Forever Glamorous there, while Truly Glamorous emerged on top under talented apprentice Harry Vigors at Newbury on Thursday.
Perhaps it was that fine form which meant Darkened Edge went off the 6-4 favourite for a 5f race at Chepstow, Mason’s local track, on Friday.
With Gina Mangan, the trainer’s go-to jockey who had won on All Ways Glamorous and Forever Glamorous, at the controls, Darkened Edge broke smartly and assumed a good position only to require some encouragement two furlongs from home.
She soon responded and was ultimately a comfortable winner, providing Mason with his ninth victory of 2026, which puts him within touching distance of his personal best of the 14 that came two years ago.
The success also continued the decent run Mangan has enjoyed of late at a venue where she has ridden her most winners (30).
Oisin Murphy (photographed) was another jockey to make his mark on the card, partnering Last Verse to a decisive success in the 1m4f handicap for top trainer Andrew Balding.
Murphy is odds-on to be champion jockey for the sixth time this term and said of his mount: “He’s from a good family and Andrew has his half-brother Subsequent at home. He’s a very good horse and this lad was entitled to win a race of this nature.”
The productive spell of apprentice Ashley Lewis continued at Chepstow as well when he struck on Morte Point in a 7f handicap.
Speaking to Sky Sports Racing, he said: “The blinkers have been put on and he travelled well - very easily. I’ve given him a breather at halfway and then let him roll again, and he never saw another horse. He’s very game and hit the line well.”
Lewis has benefited from his link-up with Grace Harris this year, but was out of luck on his ride for her at Chepstow as Oasis Sunrise could finish only third in the 1m4f handicap for fillies and mares.
That capped a frustrating week for the Gwent trainer whose stable star Exclamation was narrowly denied a nice prize at Sandown on Friday.
The next racing at Chepstow comes on Wednesday, when the first of six races is due off at 5.51pm, while the track is in action on Thursday of next week with an afternoon card that starts at 2.05pm.
Ffos Las, Chepstow’s sister venue, also has a meeting next week on Tuesday, when six races are scheduled, kicking off at 2.30pm.
