7:08 Gowran Park
A 15-runner Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden over 1m1f100y on soft ground at Gowran Park brings together a mixture of unexposed three-year-olds and a couple of older fillies with limited experience. The KTB Fit ratings are tightly bunched at the top, headed by Tickle The Cat on 59, just ahead of stablemate Lamar Valley on 58, with Bofa Beach, Shambata and Miss Romagna completing the principals. Several runners arrive with placed form or recent runs on the board, yet many remain unproven on soft ground and without course experience. The race looks open on paper, with trainer strike rates at the venue and ability on the surface key factors according to the KTB numbers.
How the race shapes up
The pace shape is on the steady side with no obvious front-runner declared, suggesting a tactical race where prominent or midfield runners could hold the advantage. Tickle The Cat from stall one and Bofa Beach drawn in three are likely to track the early pace, while several others including Shambata from a wide draw may be forced to race more keenly or come from further back. The key question is whether the soft ground will expose those without a previous run on it, or whether the better-bred and more experienced fillies can assert in the straight.
The KTB Fit ranking
- 1Tickle The Cat KTB Selection59/100
- 2Lamar Valley58/100
- 3Bofa Beach55/100
- 4Shambata51/100
- 5Miss Romagna50/100
- 6Terra Di Siena49/100
- 7Pink Coral48/100
- 8Spring Sprinter47/100
- 9Vanir47/100
- 10Sangreal46/100
- 11Saga Gaga46/100
- 12Lady In The Gods42/100
- 13Zadawa41/100
- 14Isabella Johnson40/100
- 15Lady Luck30/100
The contenders
Tickle The Cat KTB Fit 59/100
Tickle The Cat tops the KTB Fit ratings on 59 and is the clear selection. A 3-year-old trained by Kevin Thomas Coleman, she is ridden by Jack Kearney who teams up with a 2/12 record and positive A/E of 1.40. The trainer has a solid 12% strike rate at Gowran Park with an A/E of 1.6, yet the filly remains unproven on soft ground and has no course form to call upon. Her pedigree and the yard's recent record with similar types suggest she could be well suited to this test despite a wide market position. Run-style should see her settle prominently from draw one, which could be an important asset in a race lacking confirmed front-runners.
Lamar Valley KTB Fit 58/100
Lamar Valley is rated just behind her stablemate on a KTB Fit of 58. Also trained by Kevin Thomas Coleman, she is partnered by J M Sheridan with whom the yard has a 2/19 record and A/E of 1.33. The trainer's 12% strike rate at Gowran with an A/E of 1.6 is again noteworthy, though she has no course win recorded. By Mohaather, she comes from a sire with an 11% overall win rate, and her lack of soft-ground experience remains a slight concern. Likely to race handily from draw five, she represents a strong each-way chance for connections in what looks a competitive heat.
Bofa Beach KTB Fit 55/100
Bofa Beach arrives with the best recent form in the book, showing figures of 40-3 and a placed effort at this track. Trained by Mrs John Harrington and ridden by Nathan Crosse, the partnership has a modest 20/236 record but the yard's 11% strike rate at Gowran is respectable. She has one run on soft without placing and finished third here on her most recent start, giving her valuable course experience. Her KTB Fit of 55 places her firmly among the principals, and she should be prominent from draw three. The Harrington yard's ability to ready fillies for these races makes her a major player.
Shambata KTB Fit 51/100
Shambata showed ability on debut with a fourth-place finish and holds a KTB Fit of 51. From the J P Murtagh stable, she is ridden by Seamie Heffernan; the trainer has an excellent 18% strike rate at Gowran Park with an A/E of 1.14. Unproven on soft ground and without course form, her wide draw of 13 could make the race harder. The yard's record here suggests she will be given every chance, and Heffernan's 11% strike rate at the venue adds further credence. She is expected to improve for the run and could be suited by the step up in trip if the ground does not prove too testing.
Miss Romagna KTB Fit 50/100
Miss Romagna brings placed form on soft ground and a KTB Fit of 50 into the equation. Trained by W McCreery and ridden by Donagh O'Connor, the yard has an 11% strike rate at Gowran with an A/E of 1.01 despite a 0/9 record in this specific trainer-jockey combination. She has been competitive on soft, placing once from one start, which is a clear positive in these conditions. Without course experience, she will need to overcome that, yet her recent figures of 62 suggest she is progressing. From draw eight she should be able to find a decent position early, and she looks one of the more straightforward contenders on known ability.
The rest of the field
Terra Di SienaKTB Fit 49/100
Terra Di Siena is rated 49 on KTB Fit for Henry De Bromhead and Ronan Whelan. The trainer has a 13% strike rate at Gowran with an A/E of 0.93 and the pair hold a strong 7/44 record together. By Churchill, a sire with an 11% win rate, she has no course win and remains unproven on soft.
Pink CoralKTB Fit 48/100
Pink Coral has figures of 53 and a KTB Fit of 48. From the powerful A P O'Brien yard with a 22% strike rate at Gowran, she is ridden by Wayne Lordan who has a 10% record here. Unproven on soft ground and without course form, she will need to improve to feature.
Spring SprinterKTB Fit 47/100
Spring Sprinter showed little on debut when seventh at this track and holds a KTB Fit of 47. Trained and ridden by Andrew Slattery, who has respective 8% and 10% strike rates at Gowran, she is unproven on soft and has no win or place from her one run here.
VanirKTB Fit 47/100
Vanir was eighth on debut and is rated 47 on KTB Fit. From the J P Murtagh yard with an 18% strike rate at Gowran, she is ridden by Rory Mulligan who has a modest 3% record at the venue. Unproven on soft ground and without course form.
SangrealKTB Fit 46/100
Sangreal has placed form shown by figures of 23 and a KTB Fit of 46. Trained by Joseph Patrick O'Brien with a 14% strike rate at Gowran and ridden by Dylan Browne McMonagle who has a 16% record here, she remains unproven on soft ground.
Saga GagaKTB Fit 46/100
Saga Gaga was seventh on her only start and holds a KTB Fit of 46. From M D O'Callaghan with a 12% strike rate at Gowran, she is ridden by Jamie Powell who has a 5% record at the track. Unproven on soft and without course form.
Lady In The GodsKTB Fit 42/100
Lady In The Gods is rated 42 on KTB Fit for Andrew Lee. The trainer has a 5% strike rate at Gowran, and by Time Test (10% sire win rate) she has no course win recorded.
ZadawaKTB Fit 41/100
Zadawa is rated 41 on KTB Fit for D K Weld and Chris Hayes. The yard has a 16% strike rate at Gowran, and by Camelot (12% sire win rate) she has no course win on record.
Isabella JohnsonKTB Fit 40/100
Isabella Johnson is a 5-year-old rated 40 on KTB Fit for Aidan Melia. The trainer has a 0% strike rate at Gowran from limited runners, and she remains unproven on soft ground with no course form.
Lady LuckKTB Fit 30/100
Lady Luck has figures of 8-9706 and a KTB Fit of 30. Trained by Rodger Sweeney with a modest 3% strike rate at Gowran, she wears first-time headgear. She has one run on soft without placing and finished tenth on her only visit here.
KTB verdict
Tickle The Cat is the KTB Selection and tops the Fit ratings in a race where several principals have question marks to answer. Her placement from a low draw, combined with the Coleman's positive trainer record at Gowran and the yard's ability to produce improvers, gives her a solid case. Bofa Beach brings the best course and recent placed form while Miss Romagna has shown she handles soft ground, making both live dangers. Shambata and Lamar Valley add depth from respected yards, but the selection looks to have the best blend of profile and expected run style for this soft-ground maiden.
KTB Selection Tickle The Cat
Morning odds
Best available price per runner, captured 00:00 UTC, 12 Jun. These are a morning snapshot and will have moved — see the live racecard for current prices.
| Runner | Morning price | Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|
| Tickle The Cat | 100/1 | BetTom |
| Lamar Valley | 16/1 | William Hill |
| Bofa Beach | 7/2 | BetTom |
| Shambata | 7/2 | BetTom |
| Miss Romagna | 15/2 | Bet365 |
| Terra Di Siena | 12/1 | Bet365 |
| Pink Coral | 11/2 | BetTom |
| Spring Sprinter | 18/1 | BetTom |
| Vanir | 18/1 | Bet365 |
| Sangreal | 4/1 | Bet365 |
| Saga Gaga | 16/1 | William Hill |
| Lady In The Gods | 50/1 | BetTom |
| Zadawa | 12/1 | BetTom |
| Isabella Johnson | 66/1 | BetTom |
| Lady Luck | 66/1 | BetTom |
This is the narrative read of the 7:08 Gowran Park. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Gowran Park racecard. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horses in this race are proven on soft ground?
Bofa Beach has one run on soft without a win or place, Miss Romagna has placed once from one run on soft, and Lady Luck has one run on soft without placing. All others are unproven on the ground.
Who has the best trainer strike rate at Gowran Park in this field?
A P O'Brien has a 22% strike rate at Gowran Park from 1048 runs. J P Murtagh is next best on 18% from 328 runs.
Which runner has course experience at Gowran Park?
Bofa Beach has one run here when third, Spring Sprinter has one run here when seventh, and Lady Luck has one run here when tenth. No horse has a course win on record.
What is the highest KTB Fit rating in the race and which horse holds it?
Tickle The Cat holds the highest KTB Fit rating of 59.
Which jockey and trainer combination has produced the strongest LSP figure at this track?
Kevin Thomas Coleman has an A/E of 1.6 at Gowran from 52 runs. The Coleman and Kearney combination shows +£11.50 LSP from 2/12.
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