3:25 Listowel
The Ballymore Handicap Hurdle at Listowel is a competitive Listed Class 1 contest over two miles on good ground, featuring a field of 17 that includes several high-class performers. The KTB Fit Scores highlight a tight top end with Venusienne heading the ratings on 70, closely followed by Gameball on 68 and Ragmans Corner on 65, suggesting a race where class, trip suitability and track stats will prove decisive. With the Mullins yard and a clutch of in-form handicappers involved, the numbers point to a race of genuine depth where late closers could hold the key.
How the race shapes up
A strong pace is anticipated with at least two habitual front-runners present, including Cosmos d'Ainay and Speed For Fun, which sets up a test that could see the leaders come back to the field late on. Most of the field, including the top five in the KTB Fit rankings, are habitual hold-up types who will be looking to conserve energy early and deliver their effort from off the pace. This shape poses the key question of whether the strong gallop will collapse sufficiently in the straight to allow the hold-up horses to close with maximum effect, or if one of the pace-setters can steal it.
The KTB Fit ranking
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1Venusienne KTB Selection70/100
Venusienne is a high-class mare who has shown her ability with a win and two placed efforts from her last three starts. She drops back to a trip she has already won over and has recorded a win from her only run on this ground. Mullins has a solid 20% strike rate at Listowel from a large sample while Cobden's record here is too small to judge. Her run-style is held up, usually producing her effort late, which looks ideally suited to the expected strong pace that may collapse. Recent form figures of P/1-31 underline her current upward trajectory. As the KTB Selection she holds strong claims in a race where her combination of class, trip and ground fit stand out.
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2Gameball68/100
Gameball is a high-class performer with solid recent form including two placed efforts this year. He has won on good ground and at today's trip, and the yard's strong 15% strike rate at Listowel adds further encouragement. The jockey's more modest 8% record at the track is a slight negative in what is otherwise a strong profile. Usually held up and producing his effort late, he should be well positioned if the strong pace does collapse as expected. Recent form reads 143-23, confirming his consistency at this level. With a KTB Fit Score of 68 he is firmly in the mix among the principals.
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3Ragmans Corner65/100
Ragmans Corner is a high-class performer with a solid recent record of 142-14 and three wins from nine starts on good ground. He drops back to a trip he has won at three times from 16 attempts and now tries first-time headgear. Trainer's modest 4% strike rate at Listowel is offset by the jockey's stronger 13% record here. His run-style is held up with high confidence, aligning well with the race's likely strong pace shape that could favour those coming from off the pace. The 7yo has shown himself capable in this company and the headgear is an interesting addition that could sharpen him further. Rated 65 on KTB Fit he remains a serious contender.
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4Laafi64/100
Laafi is a high-class performer with strong recent form including two placed efforts this season. He has won twice at today's trip from eight attempts and showed he handles good ground when placing on it. Trainer has a solid 13% strike rate at Listowel while the jockey sits at 9%. Usually held up and producing his effort late with high confidence, he should appreciate the strong pace on offer. Recent form of 55D-28 keeps him competitive at this level. With a KTB Fit Score of 64 he is another who fits the profile of those likely to be favoured by how the race unfolds.
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5Paul's Dream62/100
Paul's Dream is a high-class performer with a solid recent record of three wins from his last five starts. He has winning form over today's trip though he drops back from 2m5f last time, while he also acts well on good ground with three wins and five places from seven runs. The yard's modest 8% strike-rate at Listowel is a negative though the jockey fares slightly better at 10%. His held-up run-style with high confidence matches the shape that could see the leaders fold late. Course form shows a second on his only visit, adding to his appeal. The KTB Fit Score of 62 keeps him in the conversation among the leading principals.
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6Path d'Oroux61/100
Path d'Oroux is a high-class performer on his day with a solid career record that includes four wins at this trip. He has shown little spark in five runs this year though and was well beaten on his most recent start. Trainer has a respectable 10% strike rate at Listowel while the 7 lb claimer is too lightly raced here to assess.
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7Run For Mahler61/100
Run For Mahler is a high-class performer with a solid recent record including a win last time out. He steps up in trip today having already won over this distance in the past though his Listowel form reads placed but no win from two runs. Trainer's modest 9% strike rate here is offset by the jockey's stronger 14% record at the track.
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8Thisistheway60/100
Thisistheway is a high-class performer with strong recent form including two seconds this season. He has won over today's trip in the past though he steps back up from 1m4f, while his record on good ground reads a win and two places from three starts. The yard has yet to strike at Listowel from five runs but the 5lb claimer is operating above the track average.
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9Helvic Dream59/100
Helvic Dream is a high-class performer with a solid career record and strong course connections here. He has placed on good ground and at this track before yet steps up in trip today having last run over 1m5f, though he has won at 2m in the past. Trainer records a 10% strike-rate from 331 runs at Listowel while jockey is 7% from 94 rides.
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10Sign From Above57/100
Sign From Above is a smart performer who won on his only previous visit to Listowel. He has dropped back to his winning trip today after a recent run over further but his record on good ground is only modest with just two wins from twelve starts. Both trainer and jockey have solid records at the track.
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11Fiver Friday57/100
Fiver Friday is a high-class performer with a solid career record who arrives off a below-par run last time. He drops back to a trip he has won over before and boasts three wins from 14 starts on good ground. Trainer has a 10% strike rate from 215 runs at Listowel while the jockey is 1-28 at the track.
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12Autumn Twist57/100
Autumn Twist is a high-class performer on his day with a solid recent record including two wins this year. He has form on good ground and has placed at this trip before though he steps up in distance today from a mile. Course form is modest with two runs yielding a fifth and a thirteenth while both trainer and jockey have modest 6% strike rates at Listowel.
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13Cosmos d'Ainay55/100
Cosmos d'Ainay is a high-class performer with a strong recent record of two wins from his last three starts. He has won at this trip and handles good ground well with three wins from six runs on it. Trainer Gordon Elliott has a solid 13% strike rate from 332 runs at Listowel while jockey Danny Gilligan posts a 10% rate from 40 rides here, though the horse could only manage third on his sole previous visit to the track.
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14Starting Fifteen53/100
Starting Fifteen is a high-class performer on his day but arrives out of form having been well held on his only run this season. He has shown ability at this track and trip in the past yet the yard's modest record here and the jockey's low strike rate add little confidence. The limited good-ground experience is another unknown at this level.
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15Wholelotofbusiness52/100
Wholelotofbusiness is a smart performer with solid placed form at this track and on good ground. He drops back to 2m today where he has been placed three times without winning, and his recent efforts suggest he is competitive at this level. Trainer and jockey both operate at a modest strike rate here.
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16Speed For Fun50/100
Speed For Fun is a smart performer who has finished second in three of his last four starts and looks sure to go well again. He drops back from 2m3½f to a trip at which he has already placed, though he fell on his only previous run at Listowel. Mullins has a strong 20% strike rate here from a huge sample while the 3lb claimer has an above-average A/E at the track despite a modest win rate.
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17Malbay Madness49/100
Malbay Madness is a high-class performer with a solid recent record of three wins from his last five starts. He has placed twice from four runs at Listowel and holds three wins from ten starts on good ground, though his trainer and jockey both record modest strike rates here. Dropping back to a trip he has won at three times from thirteen starts looks a positive move on the balance of his form.
KTB verdict
Venusienne stands out as the KTB Selection in a race full of high-class performers where the strong pace is likely to play into the hands of hold-up horses. Her recent sequence of a win and two places, allied to a win on good ground and proven ability at the trip, gives her a clear profile edge, while the Mullins-Cobden combination adds further strength. Gameball, Ragmans Corner and Laafi head the list of dangers, each with strong recent form and the right run-style for the shape, though none quite match the selection's current blend of class and conditions fit.
KTB Selection Venusienne
Morning odds
Best available price per runner, captured 00:12 UTC, 25 Sep. These are a morning snapshot and will have moved — see the live racecard for current prices.
| Runner | Morning price | Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|
| Venusienne | 9/2 | BetTom |
| Gameball | 6/1 | William Hill |
| Ragmans Corner | 9/1 | William Hill |
| Laafi | 14/1 | William Hill |
| Paul's Dream | 15/2 | William Hill |
| Path d'Oroux | 25/1 | Bet365 |
| Run For Mahler | 12/1 | BetTom |
| Thisistheway | 12/1 | Bet365 |
| Helvic Dream | 22/1 | Bet365 |
| Sign From Above | 33/1 | BetTom |
| Fiver Friday | 18/1 | BetTom |
| Autumn Twist | 12/1 | BetTom |
| Cosmos d'Ainay | 14/1 | BetTom |
| Starting Fifteen | 9/1 | William Hill |
| Wholelotofbusiness | 33/1 | Bet365 |
| Speed For Fun | 11/1 | William Hill |
| Malbay Madness | 16/1 | BetTom |
This is the narrative read of the 3:25 Listowel. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Listowel racecard. Every result we hold for the track is on the Listowel results & records page. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horses are likely to set the strong pace?
Cosmos d'Ainay and Speed For Fun are the front-runners present, with Autumn Twist also racing prominently.
Why does the pace shape favour hold-up horses?
The strong pace with two or more habitual front-runners is expected to collapse late, which would favour hold-up horses.
How many of the field are habitual hold-up types?
The majority of the field, including all of the top five in the KTB Fit rankings, are held-up runners.
What is Venusienne's record on good ground?
Venusienne has a win from her only run on good ground.
Which trainer has the strongest strike rate at Listowel in this field?
W. P. Mullins has a 20% strike rate at Listowel from 774 runs.
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