Race Preview

2:05 Thirsk

Saturday 5 September 2026 ·9 runners KTB Selection: Anchiano · 64/100

The 2:05 at Thirsk is a Class 4 nursery handicap over 5f on good to soft ground, featuring a field of nine two-year-olds. KTB's Fit Scores are tightly bunched at the top, with Anchiano just heading the list on 64, followed closely by Princesse d'Orange on 63, This Moment on 57 and Savage Mariner on 56. The race looks competitive on paper, with several runners having shown fair form at this trip already, though the lack of course experience for most adds an element of uncertainty.

How the race shapes up

A strong pace is anticipated with high confidence, driven by two or more habitual front-runners including Anchiano, This Moment and Roots In Touche. This Moment from stall 3 and Anchiano from stall 6 are likely to contest the lead early, while Roots In Touche can also push forward. The pace shape suggests the race could collapse late, which would favour the hold-up performers such as Princesse d'Orange, Savage Mariner, Furturra, Concert Pitch, Casino Star and Black Velvet Boy. The key question is whether the prominent runners can dictate terms or if the race will fall into the lap of those coming from off the pace.

The KTB Fit ranking

  1. 1Anchiano KTB Selection64/100

    Form 513 · George Scott · Darragh Keenan

    Anchiano is a fair two-year-old who has already shown his ability at this trip with a win from three starts. His recent form of 513 suggests he is competitive at this level but can be inconsistent. The yard has a solid 16% strike rate at Thirsk with an A/E of 0.79 from 37 runs while the jockey's 13% record comes with a strong A/E of 1.89 from 15 rides. He tends to make the running or race on the pace, though evidence is limited and confidence in that assessment is low. There are no runs on good to soft ground so the going remains unproven, and he has no course form on record. As the KTB Selection he holds the strongest Fit Score in the race on 64.

  2. 2Princesse d'Orange63/100

    Form 15309 · David O'Meara · Kevin Stott

    Princesse d'Orange is a fair performer who has already shown her best at this trip, winning once from five attempts. She has handled good to soft ground well in her one run on it and holds solid course connections through the yard and jockey, both sitting on 14% strike rates at Thirsk with A/E figures of 0.95 from 709 runs for the trainer and 0.97 from 249 rides for the jockey. Recent form has been patchy since that initial win, shown by her figures of 15309. Dropping in class looks a positive. She is usually held up and produces her effort late, an approach that could be well suited to the expected strong pace.

  3. 3This Moment57/100

    Form 24241 · George Boughey · Grace McEntee

    This Moment is a fair 2yo with solid recent form including a win last time out, his figures reading 24241. He has already shown he can handle this trip and is well drawn in stall 3. The trainer holds a respectable 19% strike rate at Thirsk with an A/E of 0.93 from 43 runs while the jockey has had too few rides here to form a reliable view, recording 0% from two rides. He tends to make the running or race on the pace with medium confidence in that assessment. There are no runs on good to soft ground so the going remains unproven, and he has no course form on record.

  4. 4Savage Mariner56/100

    Form 2000 · Hugo Palmer · Harry Davies

    Savage Mariner is a fair two-year-old who has shown consistent form across four runs without winning, his figures reading 2000. Dropping back to 5f poses a fresh question having been unsuccessful at the trip on his only attempt and having last run over 6f. The yard holds a solid 18% strike rate at Thirsk with an A/E of 0.91 from 73 runs while Harry Davies is operating at an 11% strike rate from his 27 rides here. He is usually held up and produces his effort late, though evidence is limited and confidence is low. There are no runs on good to soft ground so the going remains unproven, and he has no course form on record. Dropping in class is another factor.

  5. 5Furturra50/100

    Form 212405 · Tim Easterby · David Allan

    Furturra is a fair performer who has been in and out this season with a recent form line of 212405. He drops back to the 5f trip at which he has already won once from five attempts, though he has shown no win or place from two runs on good to soft. The trainer operates at an 8% strike rate from over 2000 runs here while the jockey is 10% from over 1000 rides. He is usually held up and produces his effort late with high confidence in that assessment.

  6. 6Concert Pitch50/100

    Form 662221 · Brian Ellison · Connor Beasley

    Concert Pitch is a modest performer with a solid recent record of 662221 that includes a win at this trip. He has been competitive on good to soft ground on both attempts, placing on both occasions without winning. The yard has a fair record at Thirsk with a 10% strike rate and A/E of 1.05 from 335 runs while the jockey is operating at a 10% strike rate here from a large sample of 517 rides. Stepping up in class is a negative. He is usually held up and produces his effort late with high confidence.

  7. 7Casino Star50/100

    Form 26235 · K. R. Burke · Pierre-Louis Jamin

    Casino Star is a modest performer who has shown consistent placed form at this trip, finishing in the first three on three of five starts including a second here over 5f on good to soft. The yard holds a solid 12% strike rate from 451 runs at Thirsk while jockey Pierre-Louis Jamin has an excellent 34% record from 29 rides at the track with an A/E of 1.73. Trip suitability looks a positive but with only five runs to date the overall profile remains modest.

  8. 8Black Velvet Boy45/100

    Form 7311 · John & Sean Quinn · Jason Hart

    Black Velvet Boy is a fair 2yo who has improved sharply since his debut, winning his last two starts over this trip with recent form of 7311. He showed little on his only run here at Thirsk though and the yard's modest record at the track, a 3% strike rate with an A/E of 0.34 from 64 runs, adds a negative. The trip clearly suits but the going remains an unknown with so few runs on the board. He is usually held up and produces his effort late.

  9. 9Roots In Touche43/100

    Form 2418 · Adrian Keatley · M. P. Sheehy

    Roots In Touche is a fair 2-year-old who has already won over this trip and shown consistent form with a 2418 record from four runs. The yard's modest 6% strike rate at Thirsk from 51 runs is a clear negative while the jockey remains winless from five rides here. First-time headgear is now applied. The going remains an unknown on such limited evidence. He tends to make the running or race on the pace.

KTB verdict

Anchiano emerges as the KTB Selection with the highest Fit Score of 64 in a race where the top four are closely matched. He has already shown his ability at this trip with a win, and the yard and jockey both bring positive figures to Thirsk. The expected strong pace could test the prominent runners but his ability to race on the pace should see him involved throughout. Princesse d'Orange is the obvious danger given her proven liking for good to soft ground and hold-up style that could be ideally suited if the race collapses late. This Moment and Savage Mariner complete the main quartet, both with their own claims on recent form and trainer records at the track.

KTB Selection Anchiano

Morning odds

Best available price per runner, captured 00:00 UTC, 5 Sep. These are a morning snapshot and will have moved — see the live racecard for current prices.

RunnerMorning priceBookmaker
Anchiano4/1Bet365
Princesse d'Orange13/27Bet
This Moment5/1Bet365
Savage Mariner11/1Bet365
Furturra11/1Bet365
Concert Pitch6/1Bet365
Casino Star13/27Bet
Black Velvet Boy11/2Bet Victor
Roots In Touche10/17Bet

Questions about this race

Which horse is the KTB Selection and what is its Fit Score?

Anchiano is the KTB Selection with a Fit Score of 64.

How is the race expected to be run and who are the main front-runners?

A strong pace is likely with two or more habitual front-runners; Anchiano, This Moment and Roots In Touche are the horses that tend to make the running or race on the pace.

Which runners have previous experience of good to soft ground?

Princesse d'Orange has one win from one run on good to soft, Concert Pitch has placed on both starts on the surface, Casino Star has placed once from one run on good to soft, Furturra has two runs without a win or place, and Roots In Touche has one run without a win or place.

Which horses are dropping in class or stepping up in class?

Princesse d'Orange, Savage Mariner and Roots In Touche are dropping in class while Concert Pitch is stepping up in class.

Which jockey has the strongest strike rate at Thirsk in this field?

Pierre-Louis Jamin has a 34% strike rate at Thirsk from 29 rides with an A/E of 1.73.

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