1:30 Down Royal
The Lough Construction Maiden Hurdle at Down Royal over 2m0f190y on yielding ground features a field of 16, with several unexposed types and debutants mixing it with more experienced runners. Strong pace is anticipated according to the KTB numbers, and the overall Fit Scores point to a race where lightly-raced performers with solid connections hold the edge. Skerry Hill tops the KTB Fit ratings at 72 and carries the selection tag, while the remainder of the principals sit between 61 and 53.
How the race shapes up
With multiple habitual front-runners in the line-up, including Skerry Hill, S T Hamo, Abando and Fun Daddy, the pace shape is expected to be strong and potentially testing. Several others, such as Hazem, War Rooms, Blueys Unicorse, Microscope and Je Suis Celebre, will race prominently or handily, adding to the early pressure. This setup raises the likelihood of the pace collapsing late on, which would play to the strengths of hold-up performers like Calamint and Ilen's Dream. The key question is whether any of the pace-makers can sustain their effort or if the race will fall to something coming from off the pace.
The KTB Fit ranking
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1Skerry Hill KTB Selection72/100
Skerry Hill arrives with an unbeaten record of 1/11- after winning on debut here over this trip and has been off the track since. The yard posts a 21% strike rate at Down Royal from 955 runs, comfortably above their 15% elsewhere, and Jack Kennedy is even more potent at the venue with a 31% strike rate from 178 rides against his 17% at other courses. He tends to make the running or race prominently, which fits the expected strong pace, though he remains unproven on yielding ground. Lightly raced with low data confidence, this half-brother to Mighty Meggsie comes from a dam that has produced two winners from three other runners to race. The combination of course success, trainer and jockey figures at the track, and his unbeaten start make him the one to beat.
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2S T Hamo61/100
S T Hamo has displayed some ability across six runs this year, registering placed efforts on his last two starts. He steps back up to 2m having failed to land a blow at the trip last time out. The trainer operates at a 6% strike rate at Down Royal from 64 runs, matching his record elsewhere, while Danny Gilligan posts an 18% strike rate at the track from 56 rides which is above his general mark. He tends to make the running or race on the pace, aligning with the anticipated strong gallop. A full brother to Mullins Cross out of a dam that has produced one winner from five other runners, he remains unproven on yielding ground and carries a KTB Fit of 61.
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3Abando60/100
Abando brings placed form from his 13 starts on the Flat but now steps up in trip to a distance he has not been asked to tackle before. The yard records a 6% strike rate at Down Royal from 64 runs, in line with its record elsewhere, while James Smith rides at a 19% strike rate here from 26 rides. He tends to make the running or race prominently, which could leave him vulnerable if the strong pace collapses late. Making his first appearance at the track and unproven on yielding ground, he lines up with a KTB Fit of 60 and the trainer-jockey combination shown at 3/30 overall.
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4Well Eliot57/100
Well Eliot is a debutant whose chance rests entirely on pedigree and connections rather than any racecourse evidence. The yard posts a 13% strike rate at Down Royal from 15 runs while Danny Mullins sits on a 7% strike rate here from 186 rides, matching his overall figure. By Eliot, who has an 18% win rate with his runners, he has no official rating and low data confidence. With no course form on record and unproven on yielding ground, his chance remains an unknown. The trainer-jockey partnership is shown at 3/65 overall.
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5Fun Daddy53/100
Fun Daddy has shown little in two bumper runs and now switches to hurdles in first-time headgear. The yard records an 11% strike rate at Down Royal from 36 runs, matching their record elsewhere, while Kieren Buckley posts a 12% strike rate at the track from 34 rides that matches his wider figure. He tends to make the running or race prominently, fitting into a race with a strong pace likely. A half-brother to Wyoming Baby out of a dam that has produced one winner, he remains lightly raced with a small sample at this trip and on this ground, carrying a KTB Fit of 53.
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6Hazem51/100
Hazem has shown only modest form in five runs and steps up in trip to a distance that remains untested. The yard records a 6% strike rate at Down Royal from 64 runs, in line with their overall figure, while Alex Harvey has a 13% strike rate here from 32 rides that matches his record elsewhere. A half-brother to Double Meaning, he remains unproven on yielding ground.
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7War Rooms49/100
War Rooms has a modest career record of two placed efforts from 22 starts and steps up in trip from 1m4f to a distance he has tried once without success. He is placed once from five runs on yielding ground but arrives on the back of two duck eggs. The trainer operates at a 7% strike rate here in line with his overall figure while the jockey is 1-19 at the track.
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8Rightly Snookered47/100
Rightly Snookered is a debutant so the form book offers nothing concrete. The pedigree carries some encouragement as a half-sister to The Brimming Water and out of a dam who has already produced three winners from four runners to race. Trainer Shane Crawley has a 0% strike rate from 22 runs at Down Royal while jockey Sean O'Keeffe operates at a 13% strike rate here from 63 rides.
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9Blueys Unicorse43/100
Blueys Unicorse is lightly raced with just one run in the last year and a modest 10th on this track that day. The yard records a 6% strike rate at Down Royal from 175 runs in line with their overall figure while jockey Ben Harvey is on 8% from 63 rides here also matching his wider record. He drops back in trip to an untried 2m today and the dam has produced no winners from five other runners.
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10Ilen's Dream42/100
Ilen's Dream is lightly raced with only one run to go on and that came in the form of a modest eighth on debut. The trip is a fresh question today having previously raced over shorter. Trainer and jockey both have 0% strike rates at Down Royal from their respective small samples.
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11Billy Bob Junior39/100
Billy Bob Junior is half-brother to high-class jumper The New One out of a dam who has already produced four winners. Connections are modest at Down Royal with the trainer operating at a 3% strike rate here which is below his overall mark while the jockey sits on 9% which matches his wider record. Data confidence remains low as this is a debutant with no racecourse evidence.
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12View The Stars39/100
View The Stars is a debutant with no racecourse experience and very limited pedigree to go on. The dam has had just one previous runner which never won. Trainer Peter John Flood is 0% from 5 runs at Down Royal while jockey Liam McKenna is 2% from 105 rides here.
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13Microscope38/100
Microscope is a useful performer who ran well enough over this trip on a couple of occasions earlier in his career. He showed little on his only previous visit to Down Royal and drops back in distance today having been well held over 2m3f last time. Trainer has only one run here so far while the jockey is 0-7 at the track.
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14Filippi37/100
Filippi is a debutant with no racecourse form to go on. The yard's 4% strike rate at Down Royal is in line with their record elsewhere while the jockey has a 6% strike rate here from 18 rides. Pedigree and sales background will have to carry the assessment given the low data confidence.
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15Calamint37/100
Calamint has a modest recent record of 59 and steps up in trip today to a distance it has not been tried over. It has shown ability on yielding ground with one win and a placing from three runs. The trainer operates at a 4% strike rate at Down Royal from 45 runs while the jockey is on 10% from 268 rides here.
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16Je Suis Celebre33/100
Je Suis Celebre has shown little in nine starts with a recent sequence of F57 and remains without a win or place. The yard records a 4% strike rate at Down Royal from 26 runs in line with their overall figure while the jockey is on 3% from 34 rides here in line with his record elsewhere. He steps up in trip today having failed to trouble the judge on his one previous run at this distance and has only one run on yielding ground.
KTB verdict
Skerry Hill stands out at the top of the KTB Fit ratings and is the selection. He won on debut here over this trip, boasts strong trainer and jockey figures at Down Royal, and his prominent run-style matches a race where the strong pace could collapse late. The yard and rider combination at the track adds considerable confidence despite his lack of a run and unproven status on yielding ground. Main dangers are S T Hamo, who has shown placed form this year, and Abando, who brings Flat placings though he steps up markedly in trip.
KTB Selection Skerry Hill
Early prices
The best price per runner across the bookmakers we track, each as first seen (UK time). Every runner had a price by 12:03am, 31 Oct. Prices move — see the live racecard for current prices.
| Runner | Early price | Bookmaker, time |
|---|---|---|
| Skerry Hill | 1/7 | Bet365, 12:03am |
| S T Hamo | 8/1 | William Hill, 12:03am |
| Abando | 15/2 | BetTom, 12:03am |
| Well Eliot | 40/1 | BetTom, 12:03am |
| Fun Daddy | 100/1 | Bet365, 12:03am |
| Hazem | 100/1 | Bet365, 12:03am |
| War Rooms | 12/1 | BetTom, 12:03am |
| Rightly Snookered | 100/1 | Bet365, 12:03am |
| Blueys Unicorse | 33/1 | BetTom, 12:03am |
| Ilen's Dream | 100/1 | Bet365, 12:03am |
| Billy Bob Junior | 80/1 | Bet365, 12:03am |
| View The Stars | 100/1 | Bet365, 12:03am |
| Microscope | 50/1 | Bet365, 12:03am |
| Filippi | 100/1 | Bet365, 12:03am |
| Calamint | 100/1 | Bet365, 12:03am |
| Je Suis Celebre | 28/1 | BetTom, 12:03am |
This is the narrative read of the 1:30 Down Royal. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Down Royal racecard. Every result we hold for the track is on the Down Royal results & records page. How favourites, trainers, jockeys and the draw have fared here over the last five years is on the Down Royal racecourse statistics page. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horse won on debut over course and distance?
Skerry Hill won on debut here over this trip.
What is the expected pace shape and how might it affect the race?
Strong pace likely with two or more habitual front-runners, which could collapse late and favour hold-up horses.
Which runners tend to make the running or race prominently?
Skerry Hill, S T Hamo, Abando and Fun Daddy tend to make the running or race on the pace, while Hazem, War Rooms, Blueys Unicorse, Microscope and Je Suis Celebre usually race handily.
Which horse is a half-brother to the high-class jumper The New One?
Billy Bob Junior is half-brother to high-class jumper The New One.
Who has the highest strike rate at Down Royal among the jockeys in this race?
Jack Kennedy posts a 31% strike rate at Down Royal from 178 rides.
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