3:25 Ripon
This Class 2 handicap over 6f at Ripon on Ladies' Day features a compact field of seven runners on good ground. The KTB Fit ratings suggest a fairly competitive affair with Dark Thirty heading the numbers on 65, followed by Another Baar on 59, Dark Cloud Rising on 57 and Strong Warrior on 54, while the remainder sit between 53 and 42. Several runners are stepping up in class and the majority have proven form at the trip, though course experience is mixed and recent form is patchy across the board.
How the race shapes up
With a mix of run-styles in a small field, the pace shape looks likely to be on the steady side early, though several hold-up performers mean the race could develop into a sprint finish. Dark Thirty and Vince L'Amour are typically prominent, while Another Baar and Strong Warrior tend to race in mid-division or handy. The key question is whether the leaders can dictate matters or if the race will be won from off the pace, particularly with a couple of class risers in the mix who may need things to fall right.
The KTB Fit ranking
- 1Dark Thirty KTB Selection65/100Useful performer who has won five times at this trip from 17 attempts and boasts a strong record on good ground with six wins from 12 starts.
- 2Another Baar59/100Useful performer who has won three times at this track from ten runs and also has a solid record at today's trip.
- 3Dark Cloud Rising57/100Fair performer who has won three times at this trip but has been out of form this season with a string of poor efforts.
- 4Strong Warrior54/100Strong Warrior is a fair performer who has won twice on good ground from just three attempts, though he was well held in a stronger race here over 5f on his mos…
- 5Wild Clary53/100Wild Clary is a fair performer who arrives in solid nick after a recent win and has placed on his only previous visit to Ripon.
- 6Miraculous43/100Miraculous is a fair handicapper who has dropped to a workable mark after a string of ordinary efforts.
- 7Vince L'Amour42/100Vince L'Amour is a fair performer who has won twice from five runs at Ripon and arrives in reasonable form after a second last time out.
The contenders
Dark Thirty KTB Fit 65/100
Dark Thirty is a useful performer who has won five times at this trip from 17 attempts and boasts a strong record on good ground with six wins from 12 starts. His recent form of 0-0710 shows a win and a loss since returning from a break, underlining that he retains plenty of ability at this level. The yard's 13 percent strike rate at Ripon from 32 runs is only fair, yet Jason Hart brings a 14 percent record here from 316 rides which adds some confidence. This represents his first run at the track, which is taken as neutral given a career total of 37 starts. With a KTB Fit of 65 he sits top of the numbers and looks to have the tools to take advantage of draw 3 if things go his way up front.
Another Baar KTB Fit 59/100
Another Baar is a useful performer who has won three times at this track from ten runs and also has a solid record at today's trip. His recent form is patchy with just one win from the last six starts, though he steps back up from 5f today having won four times over this distance in the past. The trainer holds a respectable 17 percent strike rate at Ripon with an A/E of 1.13 from 75 runs, which is a positive, while the jockey has had too few rides at the course to form a reliable view. With a KTB Fit of 59 he is the second highest rated and his course record suggests he knows how to win around here from draw 5.
Dark Cloud Rising KTB Fit 57/100
Dark Cloud Rising is a fair performer who has won three times at this trip but has been out of form this season with a string of poor efforts including his recent figures of 5-090U. He has handled good ground in the past and the yard know the Ripon track well with a 16 percent strike rate from a large sample. This is his first run here which adds a question mark, while the jockey's modest 10 percent strike rate at the course from 61 rides is another factor to weigh up. Stepping up in class, his KTB Fit of 57 leaves him with something to prove from draw 7.
Strong Warrior KTB Fit 54/100
Strong Warrior is a fair performer who has won twice on good ground from just three attempts, though he was well held in a stronger race here over 5f on his most recent visit to Ripon. He steps up to 6f today having already won at the trip, which looks a more suitable distance than the minimum he tried last time. The yard has a solid 13 percent strike-rate at the track from a huge sample while Shane Gray is operating at a slightly above-average level here with an A/E of 1.02. Stepping up in class with a KTB Fit of 54, his recent form of 2000-0 suggests he will need to improve on what he showed last time out from draw 6.
The rest of the field
Wild ClaryKTB Fit 53/100
Wild Clary is a fair performer who arrives in solid nick after a recent win and has placed on his only previous visit to Ripon when second. He has won twice at this trip though his record on good ground is so far unconvincing from three runs with no win or place, and he is stepping up in class with a KTB Fit of 53.
MiraculousKTB Fit 43/100
Miraculous is a fair handicapper who has dropped to a workable mark after a string of ordinary efforts shown by his recent figures of -65593. He has won over today's 6f trip and on good ground, though he is not the most consistent, steps up in class and this is his first run at Ripon with a KTB Fit of 43.
Vince L'AmourKTB Fit 42/100
Vince L'Amour is a fair performer who has won twice from five runs at Ripon and arrives in reasonable form after a second last time out. He steps up from 5f to 6f having already won at today's trip though his record on good ground is modest with just two wins from 18 starts, and he has a KTB Fit of 42.
KTB verdict
Dark Thirty is the KTB Selection and looks to have the best blend of proven ability at the trip, a strong record on good ground and a workable draw. His recent win since returning from a break underlines that he retains useful form, and the combination of yard and jockey records at Ripon, while not exceptional, are workable in a race of this nature. The main dangers are Another Baar, who knows the track well and has solid distance form, and Wild Clary who arrives in decent nick despite the class rise. Dark Cloud Rising and Strong Warrior both step up in class with questions to answer on recent form, while the remainder need significant improvement to figure.
KTB Selection Dark Thirty
This is the narrative read of the 3:25 Ripon. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Ripon racecard. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horse has the strongest record on good ground?
Dark Thirty, with six wins from 12 starts on good.
How many course wins does Another Baar have at Ripon?
Three wins from ten runs at the track.
Which runners are stepping up in class?
Dark Cloud Rising, Strong Warrior, Wild Clary, Miraculous and Vince L'Amour are all stepping up in class.
Which horse has won the most times at this 6f trip?
Dark Thirty has won five times at this trip from 17 attempts.
Who has the best trainer strike rate at Ripon in this field?
Richard Hannon with a 22 percent strike rate at Ripon from 72 runs.
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