1:45 Chepstow
This Class 6 nursery handicap over the minimum 5f16y at Chepstow on good to soft ground features a small but competitive field of six two-year-olds. The KTB Fit scores range from 62 down to 41, highlighting a race where modest performers with recent consistency hold the edge. Several runners remain unproven on good to soft ground, adding an element of uncertainty to how the race will unfold on the straight track.
How the race shapes up
The pace shape points to a lone leader with high confidence, suggesting one horse will secure an uncontested lead that could prove difficult for closers to overcome. Our Fella and Naval Cop both tend to race on the pace or make the running, though the shape indicates one will likely dominate up front. The key question is whether the prominent runners can set a pace that leaves the held-up types, including the selection, with too much to do in the closing stages.
The KTB Fit ranking
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1Crystal Kraken KTB Selection62/100
Crystal Kraken is a modest performer who has shown some consistency lately with a string of placed efforts including a second over this trip. He has already run well here when finishing runner-up on his only visit to Chepstow. The trainer continues in solid form at the track with a 33% strike rate and A/E of 1.65 from six runs, while the jockey holds a 21% strike rate and A/E of 1.18 from 208 rides at the venue. Connections give every reason for optimism despite the horse being unproven on good to soft. Usually held up and producing his effort late, he will need the leaders to come back to him if the uncontested pace shape materialises. Overall he arrives with the best recent form in the field.
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2Courseyoudo53/100
Courseyoudo is a modest performer who has shown little in four starts so far and now drops back to 5f after a poor effort over 6f last time. He is dropping in class which offers some hope, yet his recent form leaves him with plenty to find. The trainer has a solid 19% strike rate at Chepstow from 134 runs with an A/E of 1.08, while the jockey records an 8% strike rate from 225 rides here with an A/E of 0.89. No course form exists on record and he remains unproven on good to soft ground. Usually held up and producing his effort late on limited evidence, he faces a stiff task against more consistent rivals if the leaders get an easy time.
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3Our Fella51/100
Our Fella is a modest performer who has shown some consistency, finishing in the first four on four of his six starts including a placed effort at this trip. He ran respectably when fourth over course and distance on his only previous visit to Chepstow. The trainer's modest 7% strike rate at the track from 318 runs with an A/E of 0.8 is offset by the jockey's solid 19% record and A/E of 1.3 from 31 rides here, while first-time headgear is now added. Tending to make the running or race on the pace, he could be the one to take advantage of the lone-leader pace shape. Unproven on good to soft, his placed form at the trip nevertheless makes him a live contender from a good draw.
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4Naval Cop47/100
Naval Cop is a modest performer who has shown ordinary form in three starts so far, finishing no closer than fourth. He has been beaten at this trip twice already and remains lightly raced on good to soft ground while dropping in class. The yard have a solid 18% strike rate at Chepstow from 326 runs with an A/E of 0.91, though the 7 lb claimer has had too few rides here to judge with a 0% strike rate from four attempts. Tending to make the running or race on the pace on limited evidence, he could contest the early lead in a race with a clear front-running bias. No course form on record means he needs to improve to figure prominently.
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5Lion Of Persia47/100
Lion Of Persia is a modest 2yo who has shown some ability in three starts, finishing second at this trip on his latest outing. Stall 1 could be an advantage on the straight track but he still has to improve to get involved at this level. The trainer and jockey both have established but below-average records here, and he is dropping in class while unproven on good to soft.
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6Devon Angel41/100
Devon Angel is a limited performer who has shown only modest form across six runs, finishing no better than sixth. She drops back to 5f today after her latest effort over 6f but has failed to place in five previous attempts at this trip. The trainer holds an 11% strike rate from 663 runs at Chepstow while the jockey is operating at 12% from 34 rides here, and she is unproven on good to soft.
KTB verdict
Crystal Kraken stands out as the KTB Selection on the back of his recent consistency and placed form at this trip. He has already shown his liking for Chepstow when runner-up on his sole visit, and the trainer-jockey combination bring strong course statistics that further strengthen his claims. The uncontested lead suggested by the pace shape may make life hard for held-up performers, yet his ability to produce a late effort gives him every chance of reeling in the leaders. Our Fella, with first-time headgear and a front-running style, is the most obvious danger if he can dictate terms, while Naval Cop and Lion Of Persia are next in the pecking order among the modest bunch.
KTB Selection Crystal Kraken
Morning odds
Best available price per runner, captured 00:06 UTC, 31 Aug. These are a morning snapshot and will have moved — see the live racecard for current prices.
| Runner | Morning price | Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|
| Crystal Kraken | 5/4 | William Hill |
| Courseyoudo | 11/1 | Bet365 |
| Our Fella | 13/2 | Bet365 |
| Naval Cop | 11/2 | Bet365 |
| Lion Of Persia | 4/1 | Midnite |
| Devon Angel | 9/1 | Bet365 |
This is the narrative read of the 1:45 Chepstow. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Chepstow racecard. Every result we hold for the track is on the Chepstow results & records page. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horse is unproven on good to soft but has the strongest course trainer record?
Crystal Kraken, with the trainer showing a 33% strike rate at Chepstow and A/E of 1.65 from six runs.
How many runners in the field are dropping in class?
Three: Courseyoudo, Naval Cop and Lion Of Persia.
Which horse has the best recent placed form at the trip?
Crystal Kraken, who has a second over this trip as part of his string of placed efforts.
What is the run-style of the horse wearing first-time headgear?
Our Fella tends to make the running or race on the pace.
Which jockey has the highest strike rate at Chepstow among those riding in this race?
Ashley Lewis with a 19% strike rate from 31 rides.
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