9:00 Hamilton
This Class 6 handicap at Hamilton over 1m1f35y on good ground features a field of nine limited performers where the KTB Fit Scores are tightly bunched between 50 and 32. The race is notable for the presence of several first-time headgear applications and some significant step-up in trip attempts. Overall the KTB numbers point to a contest lacking real depth, with the top four all rated at or around the 50 mark.
How the race shapes up
The pace shape is a lone leader with medium confidence, suggesting one horse will secure an uncontested lead that could prove difficult for closers to overcome. Pisanello is the clear front-runner who tends to make the running or race prominently, and with limited pressure expected he should be allowed an easy time upfront. Most of the remainder, including Hostelry, Defence Missile, Braes Of Doune and Saxon Grace, are held-up types who produce their efforts late. The key question is whether anything from behind can close the gap on a clear leader on this stiff track.
The KTB Fit ranking
- 1Hostelry50/100Limited performer who has won twice from six runs at Hamilton but has been out of form for some time with a string of modest efforts.
- 2Pisanello KTB Selection50/100Pisanello is a limited handicapper who has won twice at this track from 13 runs and steps back up to a trip he has won at twice before.
- 3Defence Missile50/100Limited horse who won a weak 1m handicap last time but has otherwise struggled to make a serious impact.
- 4Braes Of Doune49/100Limited performer who has shown little spark in three runs this year and now tries a first-time hood.
- 5Evelyn's Phoenix49/100Limited performer who has been out of form for most of this year and now tries first-time headgear.
- 6Saxon Grace49/100Limited performer who has failed to place in six runs this year and looks no better than fair at this level.
- 7Jenson Benson47/100Limited performer who has been out of the frame on his last three starts and is now dropped in trip with first-time headgear.
- 8Can I Kiss You36/100Limited performer who has shown little spark in recent starts and looks up against it from a modest career record.
- 9Ring Of Gold32/100Limited performer who has been out of the frame in all seven runs this season and showed little at this track on his only previous visit.
The contenders
Hostelry KTB Fit 50/100
Hostelry is a limited performer who has won twice from six runs at Hamilton but has been out of form for some time with a string of modest efforts. He steps up in trip today having been placed once in three attempts at this distance. The yard has an 11% strike rate at Hamilton from 253 runs with an A/E of 0.89 while Tom Eaves operates at 10% from 974 rides with an A/E of 0.79. He has won five times from 19 starts on good ground and the recent form figures of 645554 reflect his current modest level. Usually held up, he will be produced late but the uncontested lead up front may make life tough.
Pisanello KTB Fit 50/100
Pisanello is a limited handicapper who has won twice at this track from 13 runs and steps back up to a trip he has won at twice before. He arrives in decent form having won two of his last four starts and the first-time headgear is an interesting addition. The yard has a solid 17% strike-rate here from 415 runs while the 5 lb claimer has had too few rides at Hamilton to judge. With recent form figures of 575611 he looks to have the best recent profile of these. A front-runner who tends to make the running or race on the pace, he is ideally placed to take advantage of the lone-leader shape and should get an uncontested lead.
Defence Missile KTB Fit 50/100
Defence Missile is a limited horse who won a weak 1m handicap last time but has otherwise struggled to make a serious impact. He has run twice at Hamilton without placing and steps up in trip today for the first time in first-time headgear. The trainer's modest 5% strike rate here from 915 runs is offset by the jockey's strong 20% record at the track from 65 rides with an A/E of 1.52. Recent form of 6-8951 shows the improvement last time but the step up in distance and lack of course placings are concerns. Usually held up, he will need to produce his effort late but the clear leader ahead could be hard to peg back.
Braes Of Doune KTB Fit 49/100
Braes Of Doune is a limited performer who has shown little spark in three runs this year and now tries a first-time hood. He has placed on good ground in the past but his two attempts at this trip brought no joy and he has never won or placed in three runs here. The trainer has a 10% strike rate at Hamilton from 1655 runs with an A/E of 0.83 while Paul Mulrennan is on 14% from 883 rides with an A/E of 0.89. Recent form reads 25-664 and he has 2 wins from 14 starts on good. Usually held up, he will come from off the pace in a race where the leader may get away.
The rest of the field
Evelyn's PhoenixKTB Fit 49/100
Evelyn's Phoenix is a limited performer who has been out of form for most of this year and now tries first-time headgear. Tim Easterby has a solid 15% strike rate here from a big sample while Sean Kirrane is operating at 11%. Steps up in trip having already won over this distance once, and the horse has shown it handles good ground.
Saxon GraceKTB Fit 49/100
Saxon Grace is a limited performer who has failed to place in six runs this year and looks no better than fair at this level. She steps up markedly in trip for the first time today having last been seen over 6f, which asks a fresh question of her. Trainer and jockey both have solid records at Hamilton.
Jenson BensonKTB Fit 47/100
Jenson Benson is a limited performer who has been out of the frame on his last three starts and is now dropped in trip with first-time headgear. He has never won or placed on good ground from six attempts and is making his first visit to Hamilton. Trainer and jockey both have too few runs here to form any reliable view.
Can I Kiss YouKTB Fit 36/100
Can I Kiss You is a limited performer who has shown little spark in recent starts and looks up against it from a modest career record. Steps up in trip today having failed to trouble the judge in two previous attempts at this distance, while three runs on good ground have also produced no win or place. Trainer has a solid 13% strike rate here from 38 runs and the jockey is operating at 12% from a big sample.
Ring Of GoldKTB Fit 32/100
Ring Of Gold is a limited performer who has been out of the frame in all seven runs this season and showed little at this track on his only previous visit. First-time headgear is now tried as he steps up in trip for the first time, a move that asks a fresh question of a 9-year-old with a modest overall profile. Trainer has a solid 11% strike rate here from 87 runs while the claiming jockey remains winless from 12 rides at Hamilton.
KTB verdict
Pisanello is the KTB Selection. A limited handicapper with two course wins from 13 runs, he steps back up to a distance he has won at twice before and arrives in decent form having won two of his last four starts. The first-time headgear is an interesting addition and his front-running style is perfectly suited to the lone-leader pace shape, which should allow him an uncontested lead. Main dangers are Defence Missile, who showed a bit more when winning last time and is ridden by a jockey in strong form at the track, and Hostelry, who has won twice here in the past despite his current modest run of form. Braes Of Doune cannot be entirely dismissed with the yard and jockey both having solid records at Hamilton.
KTB Selection Pisanello
Morning odds
Best available price per runner, captured 00:02 UTC, 1 Aug. These are a morning snapshot and will have moved — see the live racecard for current prices.
| Runner | Morning price | Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|
| Hostelry | 7/1 | 7Bet |
| Pisanello | evn | 7Bet |
| Defence Missile | 11/2 | Bet365 |
| Braes Of Doune | 11/2 | Bet365 |
| Evelyn's Phoenix | 12/1 | LiveScore Bet |
| Saxon Grace | 22/1 | CopyBet |
| Jenson Benson | 18/1 | Bet365 |
| Can I Kiss You | 33/1 | Bet365 |
| Ring Of Gold | 25/1 | 7Bet |
This is the narrative read of the 9:00 Hamilton. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Hamilton racecard. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horse is likely to secure the uncontested lead?
Pisanello, whose run-style is front-runner and who tends to make the running or race on the pace with medium confidence.
How many of the field are wearing first-time headgear?
Five horses are wearing first-time headgear: Pisanello, Defence Missile, Braes Of Doune, Evelyn's Phoenix and Jenson Benson, with Ring Of Gold also in first-time headgear.
Which runner has the strongest recent course record at Hamilton?
Pisanello and Hostelry have both won twice at the track, with Pisanello successful from 13 runs and Hostelry from six runs.
Who has the best jockey record at Hamilton among the principals?
Kaiya Fraser has a 20% strike rate at Hamilton with an A/E of 1.52 from 65 rides when riding for Linda Perratt on Defence Missile.
Which horse is stepping up markedly in trip from a 6f run?
Saxon Grace, a 3-year-old with recent form of 674640 who has failed to place in six runs this year.
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