4:05 Ffos Las
This Class 2 handicap chase at Ffos Las over 2m7f177y on good to soft ground brings together a field of nine, several of whom hold high-class form. The KTB Fit scores highlight a clear top four, headed by Scarface on 73, with Viroflay, Ben Solo and Etalon closely grouped behind on 67, 62 and 59 respectively. While most of the runners step up in class, recent form and course records will be key on a track where the Tizzard and Curtis yards have shown strong returns.
How the race shapes up
A strong pace is anticipated given the presence of multiple front-runners including Viroflay, Ben Solo, Etalon and Cruz Control. The race is likely to be run at a searching gallop that could cause the leaders to wilt in the latter stages. This shape therefore places the emphasis on hold-up performers such as Scarface, Neon Moon, Gyenyame, King Roly and Ballycamus, who can pick up the pieces if the pace collapses late.
The KTB Fit ranking
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1Scarface KTB Selection73/100
Scarface arrives as the KTB Selection with a Fit score of 73. A high-class performer, he boasts strong recent form that includes a win and two places from his last five starts. The Joe Tizzard yard posts a 17% strike rate at Ffos Las with an A/E of 1.42 from 23 runs, while Freddie Gingell is even more effective with a 33% strike rate and A/E of 1.56 from nine rides at the track. He has placed on good to soft but his overall record on that surface shows just one win from 11 starts. Usually held up and producing his effort late, he steps up in class and in trip, with his sole previous course visit resulting in a fifth-place finish.
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2Viroflay67/100
Viroflay is rated a high-class performer and carries a KTB Fit score of 67. He arrives in solid nick following a recent win and possesses the ratings to figure prominently. Dropping back from 3m2f to a trip he has won over before, he has placed three times from five starts on good to soft without winning. Paul Nicholls strikes at a 25% rate at Ffos Las with an A/E of 0.95 from 100 runs, although the 7lb claimer Mr Lucas Murphy is yet to score from his one ride at the venue. A habitual front-runner who tends to make the running or race prominently, he makes his first visit to the track.
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3Ben Solo62/100
Ben Solo is another high-class performer with a KTB Fit score of 62. He has twice finished runner-up over shorter distances at Ffos Las and showed useful form when second on his most recent start. The Rebecca Curtis yard records a 21% strike rate at the track with an A/E of 0.98 from 496 runs, and Sean Bowen matches that 21% strike rate with an A/E of 1.03 from 503 rides here. With one win and three places from five starts on good to soft, he tends to make the running or race prominently. He has placed on both previous visits to the course without winning.
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4Etalon59/100
Etalon is a high-class performer who carries a KTB Fit score of 59. His solid recent record includes placed efforts in strong company. He has shown ability on good to soft ground with two wins from 12 starts and five places overall on the surface. The Dan Skelton yard posts a 16% strike rate at Ffos Las with an A/E of 0.66 from 106 runs, while Harry Skelton is on 19% with an A/E of 0.68 from 81 rides at the track. A confirmed front-runner who tends to make the running or race prominently, he is unproven at this exact trip and makes his first visit to Ffos Las.
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5Neon Moon58/100
Neon Moon is a high-class performer with a solid career record that includes three wins at today's trip. He steps up in distance from his last run and makes his first appearance at Ffos Las, though the going looks suitable with three wins from 14 starts on good to soft. David Pipe has a 16% strike rate here from 382 runs while Jack Tudor records 12% from 165 rides. Usually held up and producing his effort late.
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6Gyenyame57/100
Gyenyame is a smart performer who has won at this track from two visits and arrives in solid recent form with four seconds from his last five starts. He has shown he can handle good to soft ground with one win from 12 starts and four places overall on the surface. Stepping back up in trip having been placed without winning at this distance, the Joe Tizzard yard has a 17% strike rate at Ffos Las with an A/E of 1.42 from 23 runs, though Brendan Powell is on 10% with an A/E of 0.74 from 128 rides. Usually held up and producing his effort late.
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7Cruz Control57/100
Cruz Control is a high-class performer on his day with a solid course placing here and a win at this trip from four attempts. Recent form has been patchy and he has been off since May. Tom Lacey and Stan Sheppard both operate at modest strike rates around this track, the yard on 11% with an A/E of 0.66 from 61 runs and the jockey on 8% with an A/E of 0.51 from 62 rides. He tends to make the running or race prominently.
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8King Roly54/100
King Roly is a high-class performer with a solid recent record that includes two wins from his last four starts. He has already won on this track from a single visit and has placed twice on good to soft ground, though he is yet to score on it. The step back up to this trip asks a fresh question as he was unsuccessful on his only previous attempt at the distance. Mickey Bowen has a 12% strike rate at Ffos Las with an A/E of 0.68 from 59 runs and James Bowen is on 11% with an A/E of 0.66 from 250 rides. Usually held up and producing his effort late.
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9Ballycamus51/100
Ballycamus is a high-class performer who has won four times at today's trip from ten attempts and also boasts a solid record on good to soft ground with three wins and five places from eleven starts. The Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies yard has a modest 14% strike rate from just seven runners at Ffos Las while Sam Twiston-Davies sits on a 17% strike rate from 420 rides here. First run at the track today but that carries no negative given his overall profile and high data confidence. Usually held up and producing his effort late.
KTB verdict
Scarface stands out as the KTB Selection. A high-class performer with strong recent form including a win and two places from his last five starts, he is ideally placed to capitalise on the strong pace that is expected to unfold. The combination of the Tizzard yard's healthy record at Ffos Las and Freddie Gingell's excellent strike rate at the venue further strengthens his claims, while his hold-up style should suit the shape. Viroflay, Ben Solo and Etalon represent the main dangers, each bringing high-class ability and the potential to feature prominently if the pace tells in their favour.
KTB Selection Scarface
Morning odds
Best available price per runner, captured 00:07 UTC, 14 Oct. These are a morning snapshot and will have moved — see the live racecard for current prices.
| Runner | Morning price | Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|
| Scarface | 7/1 | Midnite |
| Ben Solo | 10/3 | Midnite |
| Gyenyame | 17/2 | Midnite |
| Ballycamus | 13/2 | Midnite |
This is the narrative read of the 4:05 Ffos Las. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Ffos Las racecard. Every result we hold for the track is on the Ffos Las results & records page. How favourites, trainers, jockeys and the draw have fared here over the last five years is on the Ffos Las racecourse statistics page. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horse is best suited by the expected strong pace?
Scarface, who is usually held up and produces his effort late.
How many front-runners are in the field and what does this mean for the race shape?
There are multiple habitual front-runners including Viroflay, Ben Solo, Etalon and Cruz Control, making a strong pace likely that could collapse late and favour hold-up horses.
Which trainers have the strongest strike rates at Ffos Las in this race?
Joe Tizzard has a 17% strike rate with an A/E of 1.42 from 23 runs, Rebecca Curtis has a 21% strike rate with an A/E of 0.98 from 496 runs, and Paul Nicholls has a 25% strike rate with an A/E of 0.95 from 100 runs.
Which jockeys have performed best at Ffos Las according to the supplied data?
Freddie Gingell has a 33% strike rate with an A/E of 1.56 from nine rides, while Sean Bowen has a 21% strike rate with an A/E of 1.03 from 503 rides.
Which runners have previous winning form at this trip?
Viroflay has won at the trip before, Neon Moon has three wins at today's trip, Cruz Control has a win at this trip from four attempts, and Ballycamus has won four times at today's trip from ten attempts.
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