2:25 York
This Class 2 Harry’s Half Million By Goffs race at York over six furlongs on good ground features a large field of 22 two-year-olds, many of whom are dropping in class or stepping up in trip with scope for further progress. The KTB Fit Scores identify a clear top pick in Sun Goddess on 67, with the next four principals clustered between 53 and 57, underlining the competitiveness at this level. With a strong pace anticipated and no course form among the leading lights, the race poses interesting questions around draw, run-style and how the leaders hold up.
How the race shapes up
A strong pace is likely given the presence of multiple habitual front-runners and prominent runners such as Satellite Of Love, Glorious Game, Quillan, Kodiak Breeze, Blake’s Monarch and Secret Society. This shape could see the pace collapse in the later stages on the straight track, which would play into the hands of hold-up performers. The key question is whether the prominent brigade can dictate matters or if the race will fall late to those coming from off the pace in what looks a stiff test for two-year-olds.
The KTB Fit ranking
- 1Sun Goddess KTB Selection67/100Smart 2yo with a strong recent record of 21211 and three wins from four starts at this trip.
- 2Tokaido57/100Tokaido has won four of his five starts and is unbeaten at this trip from two attempts.
- 3Rollthedicebaby54/100Rollthedicebaby is a fair 2-year-old who has already won at this trip from just two attempts and brings solid recent form including a second at this level.
- 4The Bookkeeper53/100Fair performer who has shown consistent form in four starts, including a win and two placings.
- 5Satellite Of Love53/100Useful performer who has won both starts at this trip.
- 6Innichen52/100Fair performer who has shown steady improvement, winning twice and placing in three of five starts.
- 7Glorious Game52/100Glorious Game is a fair 2-year-old who has already shown useful pace by winning twice at this trip from three starts.
- 8Pride Of Toledo52/100Pride Of Toledo has shown steady improvement in two starts, winning a minor event over today's trip last time.
- 9Weekend Roar51/100Weekend Roar has shown fair ability in three runs as a two-year-old, winning at today's trip on his second start before finishing fourth in a stronger race last…
- 10Niewiadoma49/100Fair performer who has been well below form on her last two starts after a promising debut win.
- 11Vollering49/100Useful performer who has been busy and consistent, finishing in the first three in three of her last four starts.
- 12Where Love Lives49/100Useful performer who has won both starts on good ground and looked smart when taking a Curragh maiden on debut.
- 13Furturra48/100Furturra is a fair 2yo with a solid recent record of 312124 and has placed on both previous visits to York.
- 14Secret Society48/100Secret Society has shown fair form in two starts so far, finishing third on debut before a respectable sixth last time.
- 15Speed of Sound47/100Fair performer who has shown steady improvement in three runs, winning at this trip on his most recent start.
- 16Quillan47/100Quillan has won both starts over 5f and steps up to 6f for the first time here.
- 17Blake's Monarch46/100Fair performer who has shown mixed form in three starts so far, including a placed effort when stepped up to this trip.
- 18Kodiak Breeze46/100Kodiak Breeze has won both starts at this trip and handles the ground.
- 19Thebesthasyetocome45/100Fair 2-year-old who has shown enough in two runs to suggest he can compete at this level.
- 20Mind Those Steps45/100Fair performer who has already shown his ability at this trip with a win from three starts.
- 21It Dunt Marra43/100It Dunt Marra is a fair 2-year-old with placed form at this level and has shown enough in three runs to suggest further progress is possible.
- 22Battle Fever42/100Battle Fever has shown fair form in three starts and finished placed on his most recent two runs.
The contenders
Sun Goddess KTB Fit 67/100
Sun Goddess arrives with strong recent form of 21211, including three wins from four starts at this trip, and looks smart for her age. She handles good ground having won once and placed once from two starts on it, and is well up to this level on ratings despite dropping in class. The trainer’s 14% strike rate at York from 352 runs and the jockey’s 16% from 650 rides here provide some encouragement, though the wide draw in stall 17 from a held-up run-style is the main negative in a race where early position can matter. As the KTB Selection she is taken to overcome that disadvantage with her class and finishing kick.
Tokaido KTB Fit 57/100
Tokaido has won four of his five starts and remains unbeaten at this trip from two attempts, underlining his effectiveness over six furlongs. He has won all three starts on good ground and is nicely drawn in stall four, which should help him secure a good early position. Dropping in class looks suitable and the yard’s 7% strike rate at York from 15 runs is respectable in context. With limited evidence of his run-style he should be thereabouts if his unbeaten record at the trip translates to this higher level.
Rollthedicebaby KTB Fit 54/100
Rollthedicebaby is a fair two-year-old who has already won at this trip from just two attempts and brings solid recent form, including a second at this level. Usually held up and producing his effort late, he could be favoured if the strong pace collapses, though the wide draw in stall 15 is a clear negative on a track where securing a good early position often counts. The trainer has an 11% strike rate at York from 347 runs while the jockey matches that with an 11% record from 177 rides here. He has placed once from one start on good ground and remains competitive at this level.
The Bookkeeper KTB Fit 53/100
The Bookkeeper is a fair performer who has shown consistent form across four starts, registering a win and two placings. He drops back to 6f today after his last run over 7f, a trip he has tried once before without success, which adds a slight question mark. Usually held up, he could benefit from the expected strong pace. The trainer boasts a solid 19% strike rate at York from 36 runs, offering positive signals, though he has no win or place from one run on good ground so far.
Satellite Of Love KTB Fit 53/100
Satellite Of Love is a useful performer who has won both starts at this trip and remains lightly raced with scope to improve further. He tends to make the running or race on the pace, which could be significant in a race with a strong pace likely, though evidence for his run-style is limited. Stepping up in class asks a question and he is unproven on good ground with no runs on it so far. The trainer’s 9% strike rate at York from 177 runs is modest, yet his two wins give him a solid platform if the ground proves suitable.
The rest of the field
InnichenKTB Fit 52/100
Innichen is a fair performer who has shown steady improvement, winning twice and placing in three of five starts. Stall three looks sensible, the yard records an 8% strike rate at York from 37 runs, and both trip and ground suit on the evidence so far.
Glorious GameKTB Fit 52/100
Glorious Game is a fair two-year-old who has shown useful pace by winning twice at this trip from three starts. First-time headgear is an unknown, the yard has a modest 7% strike rate at York from 153 runs, and he is unproven on good ground.
Pride Of ToledoKTB Fit 52/100
Pride Of Toledo has shown steady improvement in two starts, winning a minor event over today’s trip last time. The wide draw in stall 21 is a clear negative and he is unproven on good ground, though the trainer has a 9% strike rate at York from 177 runs.
Weekend RoarKTB Fit 51/100
Weekend Roar has shown fair ability in three runs, winning at today’s trip on his second start before finishing fourth in a stronger race last time. He remains open to improvement but the wide draw in stall 13 is a negative, while the yard has a modest 7% strike rate at York from 153 runs.
NiewiadomaKTB Fit 49/100
Niewiadoma is a fair performer who has been well below form on her last two starts after a promising debut win. She has already tried this track without success, steps up to 6f for the first time with first-time headgear applied, and the yard’s modest record here adds little encouragement.
VolleringKTB Fit 49/100
Vollering is a useful performer who has been busy and consistent, finishing in the first three in three of her last four starts. She steps up from 5f to 6f for the first time while wearing first-time headgear, both of which ask fresh questions, and the yard has an 8% strike rate at York from 74 runs.
Where Love LivesKTB Fit 49/100
Where Love Lives is a useful performer who has won both starts on good ground and looked smart when taking a Curragh maiden on debut. He dropped right away in Listed company last time, is now pitched into a stiff Class 2 from a wide draw, and the trip looks on the short side.
FurturraKTB Fit 48/100
Furturra is a fair 2yo with a solid recent record of 312124 and has placed on both previous visits to York. He has won on good ground and at today’s trip, though his overall strike-rate at this level remains modest and the yard has a 6% record at the track from a huge sample.
Secret SocietyKTB Fit 48/100
Secret Society has shown fair form in two starts so far, finishing third on debut before a respectable sixth last time. He has already placed at this trip but the wide draw in stall 18 is the main negative from a low-confidence profile, while the trainer has a 9% strike rate at York from 177 runs.
Speed of SoundKTB Fit 47/100
Speed of Sound is a fair performer who has shown steady improvement in three runs, winning at this trip on his most recent start. Drawn widest of all in stall 22 which is far from ideal at York, and the trainer’s modest 5% strike rate from 59 runs at the track adds a further negative.
QuillanKTB Fit 47/100
Quillan has won both starts over 5f and steps up to 6f for the first time here. The yard’s 2% strike rate from 43 runs at York is poor, the jockey has limited experience at the track, and the wide draw in stall 11 adds another negative.
Blake's MonarchKTB Fit 46/100
Blake’s Monarch is a fair performer who has shown mixed form in three starts so far, including a placed effort when stepped up to this trip. He now goes up in class and has to overcome a wide draw in stall 16, while both trainer and jockey have modest records at York.
Kodiak BreezeKTB Fit 46/100
Kodiak Breeze has won both starts at this trip and handles the ground. A fair performer on the evidence of three runs he looks to have more to come, though the trainer’s 8% strike rate from 1214 runs at York is modest and the jockey is 0-9 at the track.
ThebesthasyetocomeKTB Fit 45/100
Thebesthasyetocome is a fair 2-year-old who has shown enough in two runs to suggest he can compete at this level. He has already won over today’s trip on his debut and was placed when stepped up in class last time, though the yard’s modest 5% strike rate at York is a negative.
Mind Those StepsKTB Fit 45/100
Mind Those Steps is a fair performer who has already shown his ability at this trip with a win from three starts. He acts on good ground and the first-time headgear is an interesting addition, though the yard’s modest record at York means he will need to improve to trouble the best of these.
It Dunt MarraKTB Fit 43/100
It Dunt Marra is a fair 2-year-old with placed form at this level and has shown enough in three runs to suggest further progress is possible. The step up from 5f to 6f today asks a fresh question while the wide draw in stall 20 is far from ideal, and the yard has a 0% strike rate at York from 16 runs.
Battle FeverKTB Fit 42/100
Battle Fever has shown fair form in three starts and finished placed on his most recent two runs. He steps up to 6f for the first time today after racing exclusively at 5f so far, which asks a fresh question, while the yard’s modest 8% strike rate at York from a huge sample offers no particular encouragement.
KTB verdict
Sun Goddess is the KTB Selection. She brings a strong recent record of 21211, three wins from four starts at this trip, and looks well up to this level on ratings while handling the ground. The high draw in stall 17 is the main negative but her held-up style could be ideally suited if the strong pace collapses late. The main dangers are Tokaido, who has won four of five starts and is unbeaten at the trip from a good draw, and Rollthedicebaby, who brings solid form and could also benefit from a late collapse despite his own wide stall.
KTB Selection Sun Goddess
Morning odds
Best available price per runner, captured 00:07 UTC, 20 Aug. These are a morning snapshot and will have moved — see the live racecard for current prices.
| Runner | Morning price | Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|
| Mind Those Steps | 100/1 | Midnite |
| It Dunt Marra | 80/1 | Midnite |
This is the narrative read of the 2:25 York. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the York racecard. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horse is the KTB Selection and what is its Fit Score?
Sun Goddess is the KTB Selection with a Fit Score of 67/100.
What is the expected pace shape and how might it affect hold-up horses?
Strong pace likely with high confidence due to two or more habitual front-runners; the pace could collapse late, favouring hold-up horses.
Which principals are noted as usually held up?
Sun Goddess, Rollthedicebaby and The Bookkeeper are noted as usually held up.
What are the York strike rates for the trainers of the top two principals?
A P O’Brien has a 14% strike rate at York from 352 runs; Amy Murphy has a 7% strike rate at York from 15 runs.
Which horse has first-time headgear and is dropping in class?
Glorious Game has first-time headgear and is dropping in class.
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