Race Preview

1:02 Navan

Wednesday 21 October 2026 ·16 runners KTB Selection: What's This · 54/100

This Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden over 5f 180y at Navan on yielding ground features a 16-runner field of largely unexposed two-year-olds. The KTB Fit scores are tightly bunched at the top, with only a point separating the first two, and the overall numbers suggest a race where experience at the track and proven ability to handle the trip will be at a premium. What's This is named the KTB Selection despite modest form figures, reflecting the guesswork element across much of the card.

How the race shapes up

The pace shape is muddling and tactical with medium confidence and no obvious front-runner, which should suit horses ridden close to the pace. Several principals, including Prince Of Peppard, Tequila Belle, Miss Mona Keeba, Villaray and Starlit, are noted as prominent or handily placed runners, so the early fractions are likely to be contested by a small group. This sets up a race that could be won or lost in the last two furlongs, with the key question being which of the more experienced runners can quicken off a muddling gallop on yielding ground.

The KTB Fit ranking

  1. 1What's This KTB Selection54/100

    Form 70 · A. Slattery · Orla Tynan(7)

    What's This is the KTB Selection. He has shown very little in two starts so far, finishing seventh then last of 15 at this track. The yard records a modest 8% strike-rate at Navan from a big sample. Everything about this lightly-raced colt remains guesswork at this stage. He settles typically in midfield. The jockey has a 50% strike rate at Navan from a small sample of six rides and the trainer-jockey combination shows a positive A/E of 1.53.

  2. 2Prince Of Peppard53/100

    Form 967422 · J. P. Murtagh · Ben Coen

    Prince Of Peppard is a fair performer who has shown his best form at this track, finishing second over the extended five furlongs on his penultimate start. He is consistent rather than progressive of late and now tries headgear for the first time. Trainer and jockey both have solid rather than sparkling records at Navan. He usually races handily, on or close to the lead. He has been placed once from one run on yielding ground and has been placed twice from two runs at the course.

  3. 3Tequila Belle51/100

    Form 4 · A. Slattery · Leigh Roche

    Tequila Belle showed fair pace to finish fourth on debut here over this trip on soft ground. The yard's modest 8% strike rate at Navan from a big sample suggests she will need to improve to trouble the principals. With only one run on the board the overall picture remains tentative. She usually races handily, on or close to the lead. She has been placed once from one run on yielding ground and was placed on her only course start.

  4. 4Queen Of The Andes48/100

    Eddie & Patrick Harty · Chris Hayes

    Queen Of The Andes is a newcomer with no racecourse form to go on. The Eddie and Patrick Harty yard has a 10% strike rate from 49 runs at Navan. Chris Hayes takes the ride. By Nando Parrado, she comes from a sire with a 6% overall win rate. She has no course win on record.

  5. 5Hazy Sky48/100

    Form 70 · K J Condon · Reese Holohan(5)

    Hazy Sky has shown very little in two starts so far and finished a remote tenth on his only visit to Navan. The yard records a solid 12% strike-rate here from a big sample. With only two runs on the clock the colt remains basically unexposed but there is nothing positive in the form to date. He typically settles in midfield. He has had two runs on yielding ground without winning or placing.

  6. 6Miss Mona Keeba48/100

    Form 2 · A. Slattery · Andrew Slattery

    Miss Mona Keeba showed promise when second on debut here over this trip on her only start. The small sample makes it hard to be certain about her exact level though the placed effort reads as fair form for a newcomer. Trainer Slattery has an 8 percent strike rate at Navan from 210 runs while jockey Andrew Slattery has limited course experience. She usually races handily, on or close to the lead, and has been placed once from one run on yielding ground.

  7. 7Lori Darlin48/100

    Form 80 · Noel Meade · Siobhan Rutledge

    Lori Darlin has shown little in two starts to date, finishing well beaten on both occasions. Dropping back from a mile to an untried 5f poses a fresh question. The yard has a solid 13% strike rate at Navan from a huge sample of runners. She is usually held up and produces her effort late and is unproven on yielding ground.

  8. 8Professor Finnegan47/100

    Form 08 · J. P. Murtagh · Seamie Heffernan

    Professor Finnegan has shown little in two starts so far, finishing eighth on debut over a mile here at Navan and then again on his second outing. He now drops sharply in trip to an untested 5f which asks a fresh question of him. The trainer holds a 12% strike rate at Navan from 261 runs. He typically settles in midfield and has had two runs on yielding ground without placing.

  9. 9Sevengrandchildren47/100

    Michael Mulvany · Wesley Joyce

    Sevengrandchildren has only one run to go on and that came over a mile, so dropping back to this sharper 5f is a completely unknown quantity. The yard's modest 5% strike-rate at Navan from a large sample offers little encouragement. With such a small amount of evidence everything here has to be treated with real caution. He typically settles in midfield and is unproven on yielding ground.

  10. 10Villaray45/100

    Form 83 · G. M. Lyons · Colin Keane

    Villaray has shown ordinary form in two starts so far, finishing third then eighth without suggesting he is anything better than modest. He now drops back from 7f to an untried 5f, which asks a fresh question of him. The Lyons yard has a solid 13% strike rate at Navan from a big sample. He usually races handily, on or close to the lead, and is unproven on yielding ground.

  11. 11Creature Of Habit45/100

    Edward Lynam · Nathan Crosse

    Creature Of Habit is a newcomer whose assessment rests entirely on pedigree and sales background. The Edward Lynam yard has an 8% strike rate from 424 runs at Navan. Nathan Crosse takes the ride but no course-specific jockey data is available. By Ardad, he comes from a sire with a 9% overall win rate.

  12. 12Byzantine Gold44/100

    Form 9 · A. Slattery · J M Sheridan

    Byzantine Gold showed little at 7f on debut and now drops sharply in trip to an untried 5f. The small sample makes any firm conclusions risky. Trainer Slattery has an 8% strike rate from 210 runs at Navan while Sheridan has no supplied track record here. She is unproven on yielding ground.

  13. 13Always Changing44/100

    Ross O'Sullivan · G. F. Carroll

    Always Changing showed little at Navan on debut and has only that one run to go on. The trainer has a modest 7% strike rate here from a big sample. Everything else remains unknown given the small amount of evidence available. She is usually held up and produces her effort late and has had one run on yielding ground without placing.

  14. 14Starlit44/100

    Form 605 · Mrs J. Harrington · Shane Foley

    Starlit has shown modest form in three runs at this trip, finishing no closer than sixth. The yard has a solid 11% strike rate at Navan from a big sample while Foley is operating at 10% here. With only three career starts and a low data confidence rating this remains a lightly-raced profile that needs to improve markedly. She usually races handily, on or close to the lead, and has had one run on yielding ground without placing.

  15. 15Camhaoir43/100

    Form 7 · Mark Michael McNiff · Luke McAteer

    Camhaoir showed only modest pace on debut when finishing seventh and has a bit to find to be competitive here. The yard's poor 2% strike-rate at Navan from 46 runs adds to the negatives. With just one run on the clock and too few runs to judge either the going or the trip, this remains very much an unknown. She is usually held up and produces her effort late and is unproven on yielding ground.

  16. 16Direct Action42/100

    Form 6 · Derek McCormack · Jamie Powell

    Direct Action showed very little at Navan on debut when finishing sixth of eight. The first-time headgear is an obvious attempt to spark improvement but the yard has had only two runners here so far and the colt remains lightly raced with little to go on. Data confidence is low. He usually races handily, on or close to the lead, and has had one run on yielding ground without placing.

KTB verdict

What's This is the KTB Selection in a race where much remains guesswork. He brings the benefit of two prior runs at the track and a positive trainer-jockey combination that has returned an A/E of 1.53. The main dangers are likely to come from those with placed form at Navan, notably Prince Of Peppard who has shown his best efforts here and now tries first-time headgear, and Miss Mona Keeba who shaped with promise when second on debut over the course and distance. Tequila Belle's debut fourth at the track also demands respect in what looks a muddling affair.

KTB Selection What's This

Morning odds

Best available price per runner, captured 00:14 UTC, 21 Oct. These are a morning snapshot and will have moved — see the live racecard for current prices.

RunnerMorning priceBookmaker
What's This66/1BetTom
Prince Of Peppard5/1Bet365
Tequila Belle15/2Bet Victor
Queen Of The Andes20/1BetTom
Hazy Sky50/1BetTom
Miss Mona Keeba6/4Betfred
Lori Darlin100/1William Hill
Professor Finnegan100/1BoyleSports
Sevengrandchildren100/1Bet365
Villaray5/2Bet365
Creature Of Habit40/1BetTom
Byzantine Gold28/1Bet365
Always Changing50/1Bet Victor
Starlit14/1Bet365
Camhaoir100/1William Hill
Direct Action9/1Bet Victor

Questions about this race

Which horse has the strongest course form among the principals?

Prince Of Peppard has the strongest course form among the principals, with two runs at Navan resulting in a second and a fourth.

How many runners are unproven on yielding ground?

Seven runners are unproven on yielding ground: Lori Darlin, Sevengrandchildren, Villaray, Byzantine Gold, Camhaoir, Creature Of Habit has no ground data supplied, and several others have limited evidence.

Which jockey has the best strike rate at Navan according to the supplied data?

Orla Tynan has the best strike rate at Navan with 50% from six rides and an A/E of 7.39.

What is the run-style profile that should be favoured given the pace shape?

Prominent and handily placed runners should be favoured in this muddling and tactical pace shape that lacks an obvious front-runner.

Which trainer has the highest strike rate at Navan from the supplied trainer reads?

Noel Meade has the highest strike rate at Navan with 13% from 1814 runs.

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