2:40 Cartmel
The 2:40 at Cartmel is a Class 4 novices' hurdle over 2m1f46y on good to soft ground with a field of ten. KTB's Fit Scores point to a clear top pick in Gambino on 65, with the next four principals clustered between 54 and 49, suggesting a race where class and course experience could prove decisive. The Skelton team hold strong course figures and the selection brings a Cartmel win to the table, while most of the field arrive with limited or unproven profiles over the trip and on the ground.
How the race shapes up
The pace shape is a lone leader with high confidence, pointing to an uncontested lead that will be difficult for closers to reel in. Champagne Powder and Whermyrosemarygoes are the only front-running types, but with the rest of the field largely held up, the leader may well get an easy time up front. The key question is whether any of the prominent or held-up runners can muster the finishing effort required to bridge the gap on this stiff track.
The KTB Fit ranking
- 1Gambino KTB Selection65/100Smart performer who won on his only previous start here over this trip.
- 2Faithful Guardian54/100Faithful Guardian has shown fair placed form on a couple of occasions but has failed to build on that in three starts this year and now steps up in trip.
- 3Argentum51/100Argentum has shown little in 15 starts and was well beaten on its only run this year.
- 4Destination Unkown50/100Limited horse who has shown very little in ten starts and was well beaten when seventh on his only previous visit to Cartmel.
- 5Hawthorn Road49/100Hawthorn Road has shown little so far with three modest efforts this year after an early point pull-up and looks limited on what he has produced.
- 6Champagne Powder46/100Champagne Powder has shown only modest ability in 12 starts on the Flat and now switches to hurdles.
- 7Manhatane44/100Lightly raced 4-year-old with a modest record of two placed efforts from five starts and no win or place from two runs at Cartmel.
- 8Redbridge Rocco41/100Redbridge Rocco is lightly raced with only two completed starts in the last year and a recent fall to add to the sketchy profile.
- 9Whermyrosemarygoes40/100Whermyrosemarygoes arrives in decent recent form with a 452-31 record but has only one run in the last year which keeps the overall picture very thin.
- 10Pink 'n Purple36/100Pink 'n Purple is a fair sort who has shown consistent form without winning in six starts, finishing no worse than fifth on his last three outings.
The contenders
Gambino KTB Fit 65/100
Gambino is a smart performer who won on his only previous start here over this trip. The Skelton team have solid figures at Cartmel with a 20% strike rate and the horse arrives in form having won one of his last two starts. Limited going data means the ground remains an unknown, though he has placed once from one run on good to soft. Usually held up and producing its effort late, he will need to time his run to perfection against the expected uncontested leader. Harry Skelton's 30% strike rate at the track from 23 rides adds further strength to the booking, and the yard's overall 22% strike rate with the pair underlines their effectiveness.
Faithful Guardian KTB Fit 54/100
Faithful Guardian has shown fair placed form on a couple of occasions but has failed to build on that in three starts this year and now steps up in trip. The yard has a solid 19% strike rate at Cartmel from a big sample of 402 runs while Theo Gillard is operating above expectations here with a 15% strike rate from 33 rides. Trip and ground remain untested questions given the small overall sample, as he has no runs on good to soft. Usually held up and producing its effort late, he will be aiming to come from off the pace in a race where the leader may get an easy lead. The recent form of 28-363 reflects a horse that has been competitive without progressing strongly.
Argentum KTB Fit 51/100
Argentum has shown little in 15 starts and was well beaten on its only run this year. The step up from 1m2f to 2m1f asks a fresh question while the horse remains unproven on good to soft. The yard and jockey both hold steady records at Cartmel, with the trainer on 12% from 103 runs and the jockey on 10% from 79 rides. Usually held up and producing its effort late with high confidence in that run-style, he will need to find plenty from off the pace. This looks a modest performer stepping into the unknown on the back of form figures of 9- and while stepping up in class.
Destination Unkown KTB Fit 50/100
Destination Unkown is a limited horse who has shown very little in ten starts and was well beaten when seventh on his only previous visit to Cartmel. He steps up in trip today having failed to trouble the judge in two previous attempts at this distance. Trainer Michael Chapman has a modest 10% strike rate here from a large sample of 410 runs while James Best rides with a solid 14% strike rate from his 21 rides at the track. Usually held up and producing its effort late with high confidence, he will be coming from the rear in a race that may not play to his strengths. Recent form of PP-73 underlines the modest level he has operated at.
Hawthorn Road KTB Fit 49/100
Hawthorn Road has shown little so far with three modest efforts this year after an early point pull-up and looks limited on what he has produced. He steps up in trip today having failed to make an impact in one previous try at this distance. The trainer and jockey both hold a solid 15% strike rate at Cartmel, with Iain Jardine at 15% from 52 runs and Danny McMenamin at 15% from 115 rides. Usually held up and producing its effort late, he will need to improve markedly from the rear of the field. Recent form of P7-75 and three runs on good to soft without placing reflect his current level.
The rest of the field
Champagne PowderKTB Fit 46/100
Champagne Powder has shown only modest ability in 12 starts on the Flat and now switches to hurdles. The step up from 1m to 2m1f is a fresh question while the good-to-soft ground has seen her place once from one run. Tends to make the running or race on the pace, which could be significant given the lone leader pace shape.
ManhataneKTB Fit 44/100
Manhatane is a lightly raced 4-year-old with a modest record of two placed efforts from five starts and no win or place from two runs at Cartmel. Drops back in trip today to a distance he has never tried, which asks a fresh question. The trainer has a solid 12% strike rate from 729 runs here while the jockey is operating at 8% from 48 rides.
Redbridge RoccoKTB Fit 41/100
Redbridge Rocco is lightly raced with only two completed starts in the last year and a recent fall to add to the sketchy profile. The drop back in trip to an untried 2m1f poses a fresh question while the small sample makes it impossible to judge his effectiveness on good to soft or at Cartmel. Jockey Joe Williamson has a 7% strike rate from 27 rides here.
WhermyrosemarygoesKTB Fit 40/100
Whermyrosemarygoes arrives in decent recent form with a 452-31 record but has only one run in the last year which keeps the overall picture very thin. The step up in trip today asks a fresh question of her. Tends to make the running or race on the pace, though trainer and jockey records at Cartmel are both limited by small samples.
Pink 'n PurpleKTB Fit 36/100
Pink 'n Purple is a fair sort who has shown consistent form without winning in six starts, finishing no worse than fifth on his last three outings. He drops back in trip today to a distance he has never tried, which asks a fresh question of him. Usually races handily, on or close to the lead, and has four runs on good to soft without placing.
KTB verdict
Gambino stands out as the KTB Selection. He is a smart performer who won on his only previous start here over this trip, arrives in form having won one of his last two starts, and benefits from the solid Cartmel figures of the Skelton team. The combination of course success, recent winning form and the yard's 20% strike rate at the track makes him hard to oppose in a race where the pace shape may favour those who can deploy their effort at the right time. His main dangers are likely to come from Faithful Guardian, who brings fair placed form and the benefit of a yard with a strong Cartmel record, while Argentum represents a step into the unknown that could still see him involved if the unknowns are overcome.
KTB Selection Gambino
Morning odds
Best available price per runner, captured 00:00 UTC, 29 Aug. These are a morning snapshot and will have moved — see the live racecard for current prices.
| Runner | Morning price | Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|
| Gambino | 1/2 | 7Bet |
| Faithful Guardian | 12/1 | Bet365 |
| Argentum | 80/1 | William Hill |
| Destination Unkown | 80/1 | Bet365 |
| Hawthorn Road | 25/1 | Bet365 |
| Champagne Powder | 16/1 | Bet365 |
| Manhatane | 100/1 | 7Bet |
| Redbridge Rocco | 25/1 | Bet365 |
| Whermyrosemarygoes | 11/4 | Bet365 |
| Pink 'n Purple | 30/1 | 7Bet |
This is the narrative read of the 2:40 Cartmel. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Cartmel racecard. Every result we hold for the track is on the Cartmel results & records page. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horse has previous winning form at Cartmel over this trip?
Gambino won here on his only previous start over this trip.
How does the expected pace shape influence the race?
A lone leader with high confidence suggests an uncontested lead that can be hard for closers to peg back.
Which runners are unproven on good to soft ground?
Faithful Guardian, Argentum, Manhatane, Redbridge Rocco and Whermyrosemarygoes have no runs on good to soft.
Who are the front-running types in the field?
Champagne Powder tends to make the running or race on the pace, as does Whermyrosemarygoes.
Which horse steps up markedly in trip from a Flat background?
Champagne Powder steps up from 1m to 2m1f having shown modest ability in 12 starts on the Flat.
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