3:35 Aintree
This Class 2 William Hill Price Boosts Every Day Handicap Hurdle over 2m4f at Aintree on good to soft ground brings together a competitive field of 12 where every runner is rated high-class on KTB's measures. The KTB Fit Scores are tightly bunched from 68 down to 53, reflecting a race in which recent form, course records and trainer trends at the track will all carry weight. Overall the numbers point to a contest where proven performers at the trip and on the ground hold the edge.
How the race shapes up
With two or more habitual front-runners declared, the pace shape is strongly positive and a strong gallop is expected from the outset. Several principals including Knickerbockerglory, Analiese, Hillberry Hill and Vol Royale all tend to race on or near the lead, which increases the likelihood that the early pace will be genuine and could lead to late-race fatigue among those up front. That scenario would play into the hands of the hold-up performers such as Glancing Jack, Deep Cave, Kamsinas, Listentoyourheart and Norn Iron, who can pounce off a collapsing pace. The key question is whether the prominent runners can dictate terms and maintain their advantage or whether the race will fall apart in the final stages to suit the patient types.
The KTB Fit ranking
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1Knickerbockerglory KTB Selection68/100
Knickerbockerglory is a high-class performer on his best days and arrives with solid recent form plus a career total of 26 runs. He was well held on his only previous run at Aintree and steps up in trip today having last raced over 2m, though he has placed once at this distance. The trainer's 15% strike rate at Aintree from 366 runs is in line with his record elsewhere while the jockey has a 14% strike rate here from seven rides. He tends to make the running or race on the pace and holds an official rating of 136 off recent form figures of 202-50. His record on good to soft is one win from six starts with another placed effort.
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2Analiese67/100
Analiese is a high-class performer who won here on her only previous visit to Aintree and has won three times from five starts at today's trip. She drops back from 2m5f last time out and holds an official rating of 120 off the back of strong recent form figures of 11214-. The trainer strikes at a 32% rate at this track from 31 runs which is above their overall figure while the jockey is operating at an 8% strike rate here from 80 rides in line with their record elsewhere. She tends to make the running or race on the pace and has two wins from five runs on good to soft with three placed efforts.
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3Glancing Jack65/100
Glancing Jack is a high-class prospect who has shown strong form in recent starts with two wins and two seconds from his last four outings. He steps up in trip today having already won at this distance on his only attempt and holds a positive record on good to soft ground with one win from three starts and three placed efforts. The yard and jockey both operate at a 15% strike rate at Aintree. He is usually held up and produces his effort late, steps up in class and his dam has had two other runners, none of them a winner.
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4Hillberry Hill65/100
Hillberry Hill is a high-class performer who has won two of his three starts including at today's trip. He drops back from 2m4½f having looked good over that slightly longer distance last time and steps up in class. The trainer has only had two runners at Aintree so that sample is too small to judge while the jockey's 8% strike rate here is in line with his record elsewhere. He tends to make the running or race on the pace and is unproven on good to soft ground.
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5Vol Royale64/100
Vol Royale is a high-class performer with a solid recent record of 51171- and an official rating of 124. He steps up in trip today having already won at this distance, and he holds a 1-from-3 record on good to soft ground with one placed effort. The yard's record at Aintree is too small a sample to judge while the jockey's 8% strike rate here is in line with his overall figure. He tends to make the running or race on the pace and steps up in class off that progressive sequence.
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6Deep Cave63/100
Deep Cave is a high-class performer with solid course connections, including a win from two runs at Aintree. He has a 1-from-4 record on good to soft and has won at today's trip, though he drops back from 2m7½f last time and his recent form of 50P-67 is patchy. The trainer's 7% strike rate at the track is in line with his overall record while the jockey's 15% strike rate here is also in line with his figure elsewhere. He is usually held up.
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7Kamsinas61/100
Kamsinas is a high-class performer with solid placed efforts in strong races and a win at this track from three visits. He has three wins from six runs on good to soft and has scored at today's trip though he drops back from 3m1f last time. The trainer's 9% strike rate at Aintree is below his overall figure while the jockey's 10% is in line with his elsewhere. He is usually held up with high confidence.
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8Listentoyourheart60/100
Listentoyourheart is a high-class performer on his day but has been disappointing this season and finished well beaten on his only run here over two miles. He steps up in trip today having won once from five starts at this distance while the yard's 15% strike rate at Aintree is in line with their record elsewhere. The jockey has a 17% strike rate at the track from 18 rides and the horse is 1 from 8 on good to soft. He is usually held up.
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9Norn Iron59/100
Norn Iron is a high-class performer who arrives in solid nick after finishing first or second in four of his last five starts. He has won two of his three runs at this trip and has been competitive on good to soft ground without winning. The trainer and jockey both have a 0% strike rate at Aintree from their respective 11 runs and 16 rides. He is usually held up.
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10Race To Base58/100
Race To Base is a high-class performer with a solid recent record that includes a win and two placed efforts from his last four starts. He has shown ability at this track without winning and handles good to soft ground, though he is stepping up in trip today having been unsuccessful over this distance before. The trainer and jockey both bring neutral records here. He usually races handily, on or close to the lead.
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11Sanilam58/100
Sanilam is a high-class performer who has won four of his nine career starts and arrives off the back of a solid sequence that included two wins at this trip. He has won both starts on good to soft ground and is dropping back in distance after his last run over further. The yard has no previous runners at Aintree while Brian Hughes rides here with a 9% strike rate from 351 rides, below his 15% at other tracks. He typically settles in midfield.
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12A King of Magic53/100
A King of Magic is a high-class performer who has won four of his six starts and is already proven at this trip. He arrives in good order after a solid recent campaign and holds strong course connections through his yard. The trainer and jockey both record lower strike rates at Aintree than they do elsewhere. He typically settles in midfield and steps up in class.
KTB verdict
The strong pace expected here should test the prominent runners and create opportunities for those who can come from off it. Knickerbockerglory is the KTB Selection. He brings high-class ability on his best days, solid recent form and the experience of 26 runs, with the yard and jockey both holding respectable records at Aintree. His tendency to lead or race prominently fits the shape, though he must overcome a below-par run here previously and the step up in trip. The main dangers are Analiese, who won on her only previous visit and boasts strong figures at the trip, and Glancing Jack, a high-class prospect stepping up in class with a hold-up style that could be ideally suited if the pace collapses late.
KTB Selection Knickerbockerglory
Early prices
The best price per runner across the bookmakers we track, each as first seen (UK time). Every runner had a price by 1:03am, 25 Oct. Prices move — see the live racecard for current prices.
| Runner | Early price | Bookmaker, time |
|---|---|---|
| Knickerbockerglory | 50/1 | William Hill, 1:03am |
| Analiese | 11/1 | Bet Victor, 1:03am |
| Glancing Jack | 11/8 | William Hill, 1:03am |
| Hillberry Hill | 9/1 | Bet365, 1:03am |
| Vol Royale | 11/1 | Bet365, 1:03am |
| Deep Cave | 40/1 | William Hill, 1:03am |
| Kamsinas | 16/1 | 7Bet, 1:03am |
| Listentoyourheart | 50/1 | William Hill, 1:03am |
| Norn Iron | 8/1 | 7Bet, 1:03am |
| Race To Base | 12/1 | Bet365, 1:03am |
| Sanilam | 22/1 | Bet365, 1:03am |
| A King of Magic | 6/1 | William Hill, 1:03am |
This is the narrative read of the 3:35 Aintree. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Aintree racecard. Every result we hold for the track is on the Aintree results & records page. How favourites, trainers, jockeys and the draw have fared here over the last five years is on the Aintree racecourse statistics page. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horse won at Aintree on its only previous visit?
Analiese won here on her only previous visit to Aintree.
How many front-runners are there and what does that mean for the race?
Two or more habitual front-runners are declared, making a strong pace likely that could collapse late and favour hold-up horses.
Which runners step up in class for this race?
Glancing Jack, Hillberry Hill, Vol Royale and A King of Magic are all stepping up in class.
Who has the best trainer strike rate at Aintree in the field?
Mel Rowley has a 32% strike rate at Aintree from 31 runs with Analiese.
Which horse has won at today's trip on its only attempt at the distance?
Glancing Jack has won at this distance on his only attempt.
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