4:45 Beverley
This Class 5 handicap over the minimum trip at Beverley on good to firm ground features an 11-runner field of largely modest three-year-olds. The KTB Fit scores are tightly bunched at the top, with Straight Ahead heading the numbers on 59, closely followed by Hanney Girl and Rumble Ruby on 56 and then Kilfrush Desert and Angel Numbers both on 53. With no obvious front-runner in a race that lacks a leader, the pace shape points to a steadily-run, tactical contest in which being handy could prove advantageous.
How the race shapes up
Given the pace shape that lacks a leader and carries medium confidence, the race is expected to be steadily-run with no one keen to take the field along. Several runners prefer to be held up and produce their effort late, which could lead to a bunching effect in the final furlong. The key question is whether those who can race handily, such as Under The Radar, will be able to steal an advantage or if the closers can weave their way through in a tactical affair.
The KTB Fit ranking
- 1Straight Ahead KTB Selection59/100Straight Ahead is a fair 3 year old with a solid recent record that includes two wins last season.
- 2Hanney Girl56/100Modest performer who has won both starts over this trip on good to firm, including here from a single visit.
- 3Rumble Ruby56/100Modest performer on the balance of her four runs.
- 4Kilfrush Desert53/100Modest performer who has shown placed form in all three starts including when third over this course and trip on debut.
- 5Angel Numbers53/100Modest performer who has shown a bit more spark lately, winning two of his last four starts including at this trip.
- 6Qila46/100Modest performer who has shown some placed form at this trip.
- 7Black Missile45/100Modest performer who has shown ordinary form at best this year and was beaten over 6f last time.
- 8Lamlash Bay44/100Modest performer who has shown a mixed bag this year with a win and a solid fourth at this track.
- 9Simba's Pride43/100Modest performer who has shown enough placed form to remain competitive at this level.
- 10Dragon Spin42/100Modest performer who has shown enough at this track to be competitive, finishing second here on his penultimate start.
- 11Under The Radar41/100Modest performer who has been consistent enough without winning often, finishing in the frame on three of his last four starts.
The contenders
Straight Ahead KTB Fit 59/100
Straight Ahead is a fair three-year-old with a solid recent record that includes two wins last season. He has run well on good to firm ground twice and has scored at this trip, though his only visit to Beverley resulted in a midfield finish. The Lidster yard holds a 13 percent strike rate here from 88 runs while Clifford Lee is operating at 21 percent from 119 rides. Usually held up and producing his effort late, he will need the steadily-run race to unfold in his favour. With a KTB Fit of 59 he tops the numbers and is the selection.
Hanney Girl KTB Fit 56/100
Hanney Girl is a modest performer who has won both starts over this trip on good to firm, including here from a single visit. Recent form has been poor with three modest efforts since a placed run in June. First-time headgear is now applied while the yard and jockey both have solid but unspectacular records at Beverley, Tim Easterby at 10 percent from 2385 runs and David Allan at 10 percent from 1246 rides. Usually held up and producing her effort late, she drops in class and could bounce back if the headgear helps.
Rumble Ruby KTB Fit 56/100
Rumble Ruby is a modest performer on the balance of her four runs. She showed her best form when winning a weak 6f maiden here in June before a creditable fourth at the same track last time, though the drop back to an untried 5f now asks a fresh question. The trainer has had too few runners at Beverley to judge while the jockey operates at a 9 percent strike rate from 22 rides here. From draw 2 she could be well placed if the race develops into a tactical affair, though the trip remains a concern.
Kilfrush Desert KTB Fit 53/100
Kilfrush Desert is a modest performer who has shown placed form in all three starts including when third over this course and trip on debut. He drops back from 6f today having already been placed at 5f, though the small sample means the trip change remains something of a question. Kevin Ryan has a solid 15 percent strike rate here from 783 runs while Tom Eaves sits on a 7 percent record from 877 rides. Typically settling in midfield, he is unproven on good to firm but has course form to his name.
Angel Numbers KTB Fit 53/100
Angel Numbers is a modest performer who has shown a bit more spark lately, winning two of his last four starts including at this trip. He has already run once at Beverley, finishing a respectable fourth, though the trainer and jockey both have modest strike rates here, Ruth Carr at 9 percent from 424 runs and James Sullivan at 7 percent from 581 rides. Usually held up and producing his effort late with high confidence, he goes well on good to firm and holds his form reasonably well with a KTB Fit of 53.
The rest of the field
QilaKTB Fit 46/100
Qila is a modest performer who has shown some placed form at this trip. First-time headgear is now tried after a rather patchy 2024 that included a below-par effort last time. Trainer and jockey both have modest records at Beverley and he is unproven on good to firm.
Black MissileKTB Fit 45/100
Black Missile is a modest performer who has shown ordinary form at best this year and was beaten over 6f last time. He drops back to 5f where he has been out of the frame on all three previous attempts and first-time headgear is now fitted. Trainer and jockey both have solid records at Beverley.
Lamlash BayKTB Fit 44/100
Lamlash Bay is a modest performer who has shown a mixed bag this year with a win and a solid fourth at this track. He drops back to 5f for the first time today which asks a fresh question. The trainer holds a solid 14 percent strike rate at Beverley while the jockey is less established with an 8 percent record from just 12 rides here.
Simba's PrideKTB Fit 43/100
Simba's Pride is a modest performer who has shown enough placed form to remain competitive at this level. He has been placed once from two starts on good to firm and has run four times at this trip without winning. The trainer has an 11 percent strike rate from 550 runs at Beverley while the jockey is operating at 6 percent from 65 rides here.
Dragon SpinKTB Fit 42/100
Dragon Spin is a modest performer who has shown enough at this track to be competitive, finishing second here on his penultimate start. He drops back to 5f having won at the trip earlier in his career, though he has been below form on his last two outings. The trainer has a poor record at Beverley while the jockey's modest strike rate here adds little encouragement.
Under The RadarKTB Fit 41/100
Under The Radar is a modest performer who has been consistent enough without winning often, finishing in the frame on three of his last four starts. He has won over this trip and has placed once from three runs on good to firm ground, though he is making his first visit to Beverley today. Usually racing handily, he steps up in class with the trainer on 10 percent and the jockey on 6 percent at the track.
KTB verdict
Straight Ahead tops the KTB Fit scores and is taken as the selection. A fair three-year-old with a solid recent record that includes two wins last season, he has run well on good to firm and scored at this trip, with the yard and jockey holding strong records at Beverley. He is likely to come from off the pace in a steadily-run race. The main dangers are headed by Hanney Girl, who has won twice over the trip on good to firm including here, and Rumble Ruby, who showed her best form when winning a weak maiden at the track. Kilfrush Desert and Angel Numbers also make the shortlist on the basis of their placed efforts and recent spark respectively.
KTB Selection Straight Ahead
This is the narrative read of the 4:45 Beverley. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Beverley racecard. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horse has course-and-distance form at Beverley?
Kilfrush Desert has finished third over this course and trip on debut.
Who is the only horse to have won over this trip on good to firm at Beverley itself?
Hanney Girl has won here over this trip on good to firm from a single visit.
How many of the field are wearing headgear for the first time?
Three horses are wearing first-time headgear: Hanney Girl, Qila and Black Missile.
Which runner is stepping up in class while making his first visit to Beverley?
Under The Radar is stepping up in class and making his first visit to Beverley.
What does the pace shape suggest about how the race will be run?
The pace shape lacks a leader with medium confidence, pointing to a steadily-run, tactical affair where being handy pays.
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