2:42 Sandown
The BetMGM Scurry Stakes is a Class 1 Listed event over 5f10y at Sandown on good ground, featuring a compact but competitive field of nine three-year-olds and younger. The KTB Fit scores highlight a clear top two with Military Code on 64 and Words Of Truth on 60, both representing the powerful Charlie Appleby yard, while Argentine Tango and Poatan sit on 55 and 53 respectively as the other principals. Overall the numbers point to a race where proven ability at the trip and around this track could prove decisive, with the selection carrying strong course form from last season.
How the race shapes up
With several prominent runners in the field, including the draw one Sirius A (a non-runner) and Our Cody from stall two, the pace shape looks likely to be on the strong side early on. Military Code from four and Argentine Tango from five can take up forward positions, while Words Of Truth and Poatan are also capable of racing handily. The key question is whether the race will be run at a genuine clip that exposes those stepping back to 5f for the first time or those with stamina concerns, allowing those with proven speed to come to the fore late on.
The KTB Fit ranking
- 1Military Code KTB Selection64/100Smart performer who has already shown his ability around this track when finishing second here last season.
- 2Words Of Truth60/100Smart performer who has won three of his six starts and finished a close second on his most recent outing.
- 3Argentine Tango55/100Useful performer who has shown consistent form this year without progressing much.
- 4Poatan53/100Poatan is a useful performer who has shown consistent form across four runs as a juvenile, finishing no worse than third.
- 5Manatee Mehmas53/100Useful performer who has won at this trip on his only start over it.
- 6Lady Youmzain50/100Useful performer who showed real promise when winning her only start over today's 5f trip.
- 7Sirius A49/100Sirius A is a useful performer who arrives in decent nick after winning a minor event last time having previously shown placed form at this trip.
- 8Palmeira40/100Fair performer who has been placed three times at this trip without winning and showed only modest form when fifth on her latest start.
- 9Our Cody39/100Our Cody is a fair 3-year-old who has shown consistent form without progressing into better company.
The contenders
Military Code KTB Fit 64/100
Military Code is a smart performer who has already shown his ability around this track when finishing second here last season. He has won twice over today's trip and handles good ground, recording one win from three starts on it with two placings. His recent form has been a bit up and down but the return to Sandown looks a positive. Charlie Appleby maintains a solid 23% strike rate at the track from 214 runs with an A/E of 0.85, while Billy Loughnane has a 15% strike rate from 46 rides here with an A/E of 1.23. The combination of course form, two wins at the trip and the yard's record makes this 3-year-old from draw four a major player.
Words Of Truth KTB Fit 60/100
Words Of Truth is a smart performer who has won three of his six starts and finished a close second on his most recent outing. He drops back to 5f for the first time today which asks a fresh question though he has looked speedy. The colt has won once from four starts on good ground with three placings overall on it. Charlie Appleby has a 23% strike rate at Sandown from 214 runs with an A/E of 0.85, while Oisin Murphy has a 15% strike rate from 475 rides here with an A/E of 0.83. From draw seven this represents another strong contender from the Appleby stable in a race where his proven class should count for plenty.
Argentine Tango KTB Fit 55/100
Argentine Tango is a useful performer who has shown consistent form this year without progressing much. He has won twice at this trip and handles good ground well with two wins and four places from eight runs. This will be his first time at Sandown for both horse and connections, who each have modest strike rates at the track with Tim Easterby on 11% from 53 runs and an A/E of 0.79, while Rob Hornby is on 10% from 164 rides with an A/E of 0.8. From draw five the 3-year-old brings solid recent form figures of 37-446 and his proven ability at the trip makes him one to consider in a race that could suit his forward run-style.
Poatan KTB Fit 53/100
Poatan is a useful performer who has shown consistent form across four runs as a juvenile, finishing no worse than third. He drops back to 5f today having placed without winning at the distance on his only previous attempt, while the return to Sandown looks a positive given George Scott's solid 16% strike rate there from 32 runs with an A/E of 1. This represents a step up in class and he has no experience on good ground, leaving suitability untested. David Egan takes the ride with the pair having an 8/71 record together at an A/E of 0.87, and from draw six this 2-year-old could improve for the return to the minimum trip.
The rest of the field
Manatee MehmasKTB Fit 53/100
Manatee Mehmas is a useful performer who has won at this trip on his only start over it. Lightly raced with just two runs in the last year so there is scope for improvement but he also has limited evidence to work from overall. David O'Meara has a 12% strike rate at Sandown from 102 runs with an A/E of 0.82, while Daniel Tudhope operates at 20% from 55 rides here with an A/E of 1.16. From draw nine his recent form of 14 suggests he could be a threat if the race falls his way.
Lady YoumzainKTB Fit 50/100
Lady Youmzain is a useful performer who showed real promise when winning her only start over today's 5f trip. Dropping back from 6f looks a sensible move and she has already handled this ground with one win from one run on good. Kevin Ryan's modest 6% strike rate at Sandown from 62 runs with an A/E of 0.52 is a slight negative while Kevin Stott's 13% record from 24 rides here with an A/E of 0.89 offers some compensation. Her form of 1-13 marks her out as an each-way possibility from draw three.
Sirius AKTB Fit 49/100
Sirius A is a non-runner. He is a useful performer who arrives in decent nick after winning a minor event last time having previously shown placed form at this trip. He has been competitive on good ground without winning and now drops back from 6f which asks a fresh question. The yard has a 0% strike rate from six runs at Sandown.
PalmeiraKTB Fit 40/100
Palmeira is a fair performer who has been placed three times at this trip without winning and showed only modest form when fifth on her latest start. She has handled good ground but without winning and makes her Sandown debut today from stall eight. The trainer and jockey both operate at a 9% strike rate here with Eve Johnson Houghton on 9% from 223 runs and an A/E of 0.88, while Charles Bishop is on 9% from 159 rides with an A/E of 0.89.
Our CodyKTB Fit 39/100
Our Cody is a fair 3-year-old who has shown consistent form without progressing into better company. He has placed here once and on good ground, plus he has won over today's trip, yet the yard's modest 5% strike rate at Sandown from 92 runs with an A/E of 0.49 and the jockey's 7% record from 15 rides with an A/E of 0.59 suggest they are operating below their best at this track. His recent efforts of 4529-3 have been solid rather than eye-catching from draw two.
KTB verdict
Military Code stands out as the KTB Selection. He brings proven course form from finishing second here last season, two wins over the trip and the ability to handle good ground, backed by Charlie Appleby's strong 23% strike rate at Sandown. His recent form may have been a bit up and down but the combination of track knowledge and yard form gives him the edge. The main dangers are stablemate Words Of Truth, who has smart form and looks speedy despite the drop to 5f, and Argentine Tango, whose consistency at the trip cannot be ignored. Poatan is the interesting juvenile but the step up in class and lack of experience on good ground add a layer of risk.
KTB Selection Military Code
Morning odds
Best available price per runner, captured 00:02 UTC, 13 Jun. These are a morning snapshot and will have moved — see the live racecard for current prices.
| Runner | Morning price | Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|
| Military Code | 9/4 | Bet365 |
| Words Of Truth | 11/4 | 7Bet |
| Argentine Tango | 12/1 | William Hill |
| Poatan | 15/2 | Bet365 |
| Manatee Mehmas | 13/2 | 7Bet |
| Lady Youmzain | 11/2 | 7Bet |
| Sirius A | 16/1 | 7Bet |
| Palmeira | 50/1 | Bet Victor |
| Our Cody | 28/1 | William Hill |
This is the narrative read of the 2:42 Sandown. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Sandown racecard. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horse has the best course form at Sandown?
Military Code finished second on his only run here last season.
How many wins has Words Of Truth recorded and what is the distance question he faces?
Words Of Truth has won three of his six starts and drops back to 5f for the first time today.
What are the Sandown strike rates for the trainers of the top two in the KTB Fit rankings?
Charlie Appleby has a 23% strike rate at Sandown from 214 runs with an A/E of 0.85 for both Military Code and Words Of Truth.
Which runner is stepping up in class and has no experience on good ground?
Poatan is stepping up in class and has no runs on good ground.
What is the Sandown trainer strike rate for Kevin Ryan with Lady Youmzain?
Kevin Ryan has a 6% strike rate at Sandown from 62 runs with an A/E of 0.52.
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