8:28 Leopardstown
The 8:28 at Leopardstown is a 1m7f Turkish Jockey Club Handicap for modest performers on good ground. A field of nine lines up with no obvious front-runner, pointing to a steadily-run, tactical contest in which being handy could prove advantageous. The KTB Fit ratings are tightly bunched at the top, with Tatum just heading the list on 52, followed closely by Friary Road, Trubshaw and Party Dress.
How the race shapes up
With the pace shape indicating a lack of any natural leader, the race is expected to be run at a steady tempo in which position and timing will be key. Being able to race handily looks likely to pay in what should develop into a tactical affair. The central question is whether the step up to this trip will bring out further improvement in those who have shown ability over shorter distances or simply expose their limitations.
The KTB Fit ranking
- 1Tatum KTB Selection52/100Modest performer who has won twice at this track from four starts and holds solid form on good ground with two wins from five attempts.
- 2Friary Road50/100Modest performer who has shown some consistency without winning.
- 3Trubshaw48/100Modest performer who has been well below form on his last two starts.
- 4Party Dress47/100Modest performer who has shown some spark at this track with a second and a sixth from two runs.
- 5Jurality46/100Modest performer who has been consistent this year and ran well when placed over this trip on his latest attempt.
- 6Jr Mahon46/100Modest performer who has shown little spark in two starts this year and looks up against it from a career-low mark.
- 7Folly Beach43/100Folly Beach is a limited performer who has shown bits of competitiveness on good ground without winning.
- 8Miss Gitana37/100Modest performer who has struggled this season with a string of poor efforts including a 10th on her only run here.
- 9Stone Rulya37/100Modest performer who has shown very little in ten runs and arrives here in ordinary form after a recent fourth at a lower level.
The contenders
Tatum KTB Fit 52/100
Tatum is a modest performer who has won twice at Leopardstown from four starts and holds solid form on good ground with two wins from five attempts. He steps up in trip today having last run over 1m5f so this distance is an unknown that could suit or expose him. Trainer Noel Meade has a 10% strike rate at Leopardstown from 1699 runs while jockey Paddy Harnett, who has an 8% strike rate at the track with an A/E of 1.05 from 60 rides, is making his first appearance for the yard here. The 5yo has recent form figures of 21-753 and is drawn in stall 6. With the race lacking an obvious leader, his ability to be handy should be an asset in what is set to be a steadily-run affair.
Friary Road KTB Fit 50/100
Friary Road is a modest performer who has shown some consistency without winning. He has run four times at Leopardstown without placing and is now 0-4 on good ground, so the track and surface raise questions. First-time headgear is tried as he steps back up in trip having failed to make the frame in three previous attempts at this distance. The 6yo, trained by T M Walsh who has a 13% strike rate at the track with an A/E of 1.06 from 151 runs, is ridden by Sam Coen who has a 4% strike rate here with an A/E of 0.34 from 24 rides. Recent form reads 8339-3 and he is drawn in stall 2.
Trubshaw KTB Fit 48/100
Trubshaw is a modest performer who has been well below form on his last two starts. He steps up in trip today having been placed without winning at this distance on his only previous attempt, while the first-time headgear is another unknown. Trainer Henry De Bromhead operates at an 8% strike rate here from 698 runs with an A/E of 0.75 and is joined by Gabriella Hill who has a 10% strike rate at Leopardstown with an A/E of 0.88 from 10 rides. The 4yo has recent form figures of 641-80, is drawn in stall 3 and has been placed twice from seven runs on good ground without winning.
Party Dress KTB Fit 47/100
Party Dress is a modest performer who has shown some spark at this track with a second and a sixth from two runs. She steps up in trip for the first time today having been placed without winning at this distance on one of three previous tries, while the first-time headgear is an unknown. Trainer W McCreery has a modest 7% strike rate from 374 runs at Leopardstown with an A/E of 0.67, which is a negative, and is partnered by Donagh O'Connor. The 6yo has recent form of 700-64, is drawn in stall 8, has two wins from nine runs on good ground and is usually held up, producing her effort late.
The rest of the field
JuralityKTB Fit 46/100
Jurality is a modest performer who has been consistent this year and ran well when placed over this trip on his latest attempt. He has shown up in three runs at Leopardstown without winning and handles good ground, though the trainer's modest 6% strike rate here from a big sample is a negative.
Jr MahonKTB Fit 46/100
Jr Mahon is a modest performer who has shown little spark in two starts this year and looks up against it from a career-low mark. He has been out of the frame in all three runs at Leopardstown, the trainer is still without a winner from 32 attempts here, and first-time headgear is reached for as he steps up markedly in trip for the first time.
Folly BeachKTB Fit 43/100
Folly Beach is a limited performer who has shown bits of competitiveness on good ground without winning. He has won once from three runs at Leopardstown and steps up in trip today having already scored at this distance, though the trainer's modest 5% strike rate from 20 runs here adds a note of caution.
Miss GitanaKTB Fit 37/100
Miss Gitana is a modest performer who has struggled this season with a string of poor efforts including a 10th on her only run here. She drops back in trip to a distance at which she has won once from two starts and the first-time headgear is an interesting addition, though the trainer is 0-15 at Leopardstown.
Stone RulyaKTB Fit 37/100
Stone Rulya is a modest performer who has shown very little in ten runs and arrives here in ordinary form after a recent fourth at a lower level. First-time headgear is tried as he steps up markedly in trip to 1m7f, which has to be treated as an unknown, and the yard's modest 4% strike rate at Leopardstown adds little confidence.
KTB verdict
Tatum is the KTB Selection. He has won twice at this track from four starts, holds solid form on good ground and his ability to race handily should be an asset in a steadily-run, tactical race. The step up to 1m7f is the main unknown but the balance of his record suggests he can cope. Friary Road, Trubshaw and Party Dress are the main dangers, each bringing different questions around headgear, trip and track form, while the remainder of the field look limited or out of form.
KTB Selection Tatum
This is the narrative read of the 8:28 Leopardstown. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Leopardstown racecard. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horse has won twice at Leopardstown from only four starts?
Tatum
What is the pace shape for this race and what does it suggest?
Lacks a leader (confidence: medium) — likely a steadily-run, tactical affair where being handy pays
How many of the principals are wearing first-time headgear?
Three: Friary Road, Trubshaw and Party Dress
Which horse has course-and-distance winning form?
Folly Beach
Which trainer has the highest strike rate at Leopardstown among those represented?
T M Walsh with 13%
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