Horse profile
Direct Approach (IRE)
by No Nay Never (USA) out of Asteya (IRE) (Tiger Hill)
11 runs · 10 courses · from Aug 2025
As at 20 Oct 2026 · KTB archive: GB, Ireland & France · 2005–present, updated daily
Won last time out
Won at Galway (IRE)
Ran 13 days ago · 1st of 20
Last raced off OR 100
KTB Profile
Typically ridden with patience — held up in 4 of 7 analysed runs — Direct Approach (IRE) is 1 from 11. Won last time out at Galway (IRE) — a departure from the usual pattern, prominent.
Based on 11 archived runs · run-style from 7 commented runs · updated 20 Oct 2026
KTB at a glance
Typically held up
- 1–11Wins / Runs
- 9.1%Strike rate
- 5 (45.5%)Placed
- −7.00£1 level staken=11 at SP
- 1.38Fair A/E n=11 · 1.06 incl. margin
- 102Highest OR
- 41dAvg between runs
A/E compares actual wins with what starting prices implied. "Fair" strips the bookmaker margin from the expectation, so favourites and longshots are judged on the same footing — figures near 1.00 mean the market priced this horse about right.
Official rating100↓ 2lb off peak
100
69–102
KTB Speed and Rating
KTB Speed
Best recent Speed 102
How fast the horse ran, as points against the day-corrected standard time for its course and distance: 100 is the median GB Class 4 handicap winner on that code; one point is 0.1% of the standard time. A, B or C is how much the day's card could tell us, not how good the run was. What this means →
Jumps
| Going | Runs | Best | Median | Since 20 Oct 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soft | 3 | 98B | 65 | 3 · 98 / 65 |
| Good | 3 | 97B | 73 | 3 · 97 / 73 |
| Good to Soft | 1 | — | — | 1 · — |
| Distance | Runs | Best | Median | Since 20 Oct 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1m5f – 2m | 4 | 102B | 81.5 | 4 · 102 / 81.5 |
| 2m1f – 2m4f | 3 | 97B | 73 | 3 · 97 / 73 |
Flat
| Going | Runs | Best | Median | Since 20 Oct 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | 2 | 112C | 80 | — |
| Standard (AW) | 1 | — | — | 1 · — |
| Heavy | 1 | — | — | — |
| Distance | Runs | Best | Median | Since 20 Oct 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1m2f – 1m4f | 3 | 112C | 93 | 1 · — |
| 1m – 1m1f | 1 | — | — | — |
KTB Speed v1 · batch 15 Sep 2026 · GB & Irish racing only · 11 figures from 11 runs · as at 14 Oct 2026 · a record, not a forecast
Both figures are KTB's own, computed from the archive; no vendor rating enters either. Every run's figure is on its form line below with its grade. Grades measure how much the archive could see, never the merit of the run.
Run style from 7 analysed runs
- Held up 4 (57%) · 0 wins
- Prominent 2 (29%) · 1 win
- Midfield 1 (14%) · 0 wins
Pedigree intelligence
Sire
Progeny in our archive have won 12.1% of 6,307 runs since Jan 2008 (704 horses).
Weakest on good to soft going: 9% from 612. Weakest over 1m5f – 2m (all codes): 7.6% from 185.
| Going | Runs | Wins | SR | vs sire | This horse |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firm | 16 | 5 | 31.3% | +19.2 | — |
| Good to Firm | 927 | 122 | 13.2% | +1.1 | — |
| Good | 1,489 | 181 | 12.2% | +0.1 | 0 from 5 |
| Good to Soft | 612 | 55 | 9% | −3.1 | 0 from 1 |
| Soft | 841 | 109 | 13% | +0.9 | 1 from 3 |
| Heavy | 276 | 36 | 13% | +0.9 | 0 from 1 |
| Standard (AW) | 2,146 | 253 | 11.8% | −0.3 | 0 from 1 |
| Distance (all codes) | Runs | Wins | SR | vs sire | This horse |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 6f | 910 | 122 | 13.4% | +1.3 | — |
| 6f – 7f | 3,372 | 437 | 13% | +0.9 | — |
| 1m – 1m1f | 1,176 | 129 | 11% | −1.1 | 0 from 1 |
| 1m2f – 1m4f | 582 | 54 | 9.3% | −2.8 | 0 from 3 |
| 1m5f – 2m | 185 | 14 | 7.6% | −4.5 | 1 from 4 |
| 2m1f – 2m4f | 77 | 5 | 6.5% | −5.6 | 0 from 3 |
| 2m5f – 3m | 5 | 0 | 0% | −12.1 | — |
Flat and jumps together (all codes) · since Jan 2008 · as at 20 Oct 2026 · rows under 30 runs muted · win % is the measure, a record not a forecast
Dam
Asteya (IRE) (Tiger Hill)
6 siblings in the archive, 3 winners — best of them Ellipsism (IRE) (2 wins).
The wins came over 7f–3m1f.
| Produce | Runs | Wins | Win trips | Best grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ellipsism (IRE) | 21 | 2 | 3m–3m1f | — |
| Hazel (IRE) | 17 | 1 | 7f | — |
| Dawn Over Owning (IRE) | 8 | 1 | 1m6f | — |
| Elliptical (IRE) | 3 | 0 | — | — |
| Astronomically (IRE) | 5 | 0 | — | — |
| Spectaculardisplay (IRE) | 4 | 0 | — | — |
Record by conditions
| Going | Runs | Wins | SR | £1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | 5 | 0 | 0% | −5.00 |
| Soft | 3 | 1 | 33% | +1.00 |
| Good to Soft | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Standard (AW) | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Heavy | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Course | Runs | Wins | SR | £1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roscommon (IRE) | 2 | 0 | 0% | −2.00 |
| Galway (IRE) | 1 | 1 | 100% | +3.00 |
| Dundalk (AW) (IRE) | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Bellewstown (IRE) | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Kilbeggan (IRE) | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Downpatrick (IRE) | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Punchestown | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Gowran Park | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Navan | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Curragh | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Distance | Runs | Wins | SR | £1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1m5f – 2m | 4 | 1 | 25% | +0.00 |
| 1m2f – 1m4f | 3 | 0 | 0% | −3.00 |
| 2m1f – 2m4f | 3 | 0 | 0% | −3.00 |
| 1m – 1m1f | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Jockey | Runs | Wins | SR | £1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Kennedy | 6 | 1 | 17% | −2.00 |
| Paddy Harnett | 2 | 0 | 0% | −2.00 |
| Conor Cusack | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Jordan Gainford | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Gavin Ryan | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Headgear | Runs | Wins | SR | £1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| None | 8 | 0 | 0% | −8.00 |
| Cheekpieces | 2 | 1 | 50% | +2.00 |
| Blinkers | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Season | Runs | Wins | SR | £1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 7 | 1 | 14% | −3.00 |
| 2025 | 4 | 0 | 0% | −4.00 |
| Type | Runs | Wins | SR | £1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hurdle | 7 | 1 | 14% | −3.00 |
| Flat | 4 | 0 | 0% | −4.00 |
Splits include every sample, however small — muted rows are under 3 runs. A one-from-one record is a fact, not a trend: read the Runs column before the strike rate.
Form
| Date | Course | Race | Pos | Btn | Wgt | OR | Spd | KTB | Jockey | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06 Oct 26+8d | Galway (IRE) | Tote Always SP Or Better At Galway Maiden Hurdle Prominent in second - went to the front 2 out and two lengths up over the last - kept on strongly when pushed to win | 1/20 | 11-11 | 100 | 98B | 131A | Jack Kennedy | 3/1 | |
| 28 Sep 26+10d | Roscommon (IRE) | Athleague Maiden Hurdle Sat behind front pair early - third at halfway - urged forward three out - moved left approaching the following fence - driven into second nearing the last - unable to close and held the effort to the line | 2/13 | 2 | 11-7 | 97 | 102B | 124A | Jack Kennedy | 4/1 |
| 18 Sep 26+23d | Dundalk (AW) (IRE) | Start Your Racing TV Free Trial Now Apprentice Handicap | 3/10 | 3¾ | 8-10 | 69 | 93A | 68A | Conor Cusack | 33/1 |
| 26 Aug 26+22d | Bellewstown (IRE) | John Purfield Memorial Handicap Hurdle (Div I) Settled around midfield - slipped towards the back with three furlongs left - unable to close from there - well held in 9th | 9/15 | 1¼ | 11-11 | 100 | 73B | 97A | Jack Kennedy | 12/1 |
| 04 Aug 26+11d | Roscommon (IRE) | James Lohan Engineering Excellence Maiden Hurdle Handy near front early - clumsy over first and again 5th - third at halfway - pushed along after 3 out - unsteady 2 out - drifted right and dropped away late to finish 5th | 5/13 | 1 | 11-1 | 102 | 65B | 108A | Jack Kennedy | 12/1 |
| 24 Jul 26+10d | Kilbeggan (IRE) | Tote Maiden Hurdle soon in the pack - back in 7th by 4 out - made headway to 6th 2 out and up to 4th over the last - boxed in for a stride 100 yards out - held on for 3rd | 3/15 | 1¾ | 10-6 | — | 97B | 106A | Jack Kennedy | 33/1 |
| 14 Jul 26+195d | Downpatrick (IRE) | Randox (C & G) Maiden Hurdle Soon held up towards the back - a minor mistake at the 2nd - fell away from 4 out and never a threat | 6/9 | 6 | 11-0 | — | 67C | 97C | Jack Kennedy | 17/2 |
| 31 Dec 25+102d | Punchestown | Celebrate The New Year With Tote 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle Held up towards the back - stumbled at the 2nd and needed encouragement - improved into 8th then 5th but unable to close - dropped away 2 out to finish well held | 9/13 | 9½ | 11-0 | — | 56C | 91C | Jordan Gainford | 20/1 |
| 20 Sep 25+14d | Gowran Park | Racing Again October 3rd & 4th Maiden Sat behind the front pair early - still second at halfway - urged on entering the straight and drifted left under pressure with 2f left - flattened out approaching the furlong pole - stayed on same gear to the line for second | 2/16 | 6 | 9-3 | — | 91C | 83A | Paddy Harnett | 14/1 |
| 06 Sep 25+14d | Navan | Lynn Lodge Stud Maiden Sat close to the pace early - dropped to 8th with 4f left then 9th under pressure over 2f out - held no more late finish and finished 9th | 9/18 | 1¾ | 9-8 | — | 112C | 70A | Gavin Ryan | 50/1 |
| 23 Aug 25 | Curragh | Donohue Marquees Maiden Slow to break - settled towards back of field - 8th at halfway - needed encouragement - made headway 1f and a half out - stayed on late but well held in 7th | 7/10 | 2 | 9-3 | — | 48A | 61A | Paddy Harnett | 25/1 |
Quick answers
- How many races has Direct Approach (IRE) won?
- Direct Approach (IRE) won 1 of 11 archived starts between 2025 and 2026, a strike rate of 9.1%. Placed 5 times in total (45.5% of starts).
- Who trains Direct Approach (IRE)?
- Direct Approach (IRE) is trained by Gordon Elliott, who saddled the horse on its most recent run on 6 October 2026.
- Who is Direct Approach (IRE)'s sire?
- Direct Approach (IRE) is by No Nay Never (USA) out of Asteya (IRE), whose sire is Tiger Hill.
- What going does Direct Approach (IRE) prefer?
- Direct Approach (IRE) has the best record on soft going: 1 win from 3 starts (33.3%). Only going bands with at least three archived starts are read, so this is a direction rather than a settled preference.
- What is Direct Approach (IRE)'s official rating?
- The most recent official rating on record is 100, from the run on 6 October 2026. The highest on record is 102.
- What is Direct Approach (IRE)'s sire's record?
- No Nay Never (USA)'s progeny in our archive have won 12.1% of 6,307 runs since Jan 2008 (704 horses), Flat and jumps together. Weakest on good to soft going: 9% from 612. Weakest over 1m5f – 2m (all codes): 7.6% from 185.
- Who are Direct Approach (IRE)'s siblings?
- Out of Asteya (IRE), Direct Approach (IRE) has 6 other produce in our archive, 3 of them winners. Most wins: Ellipsism (IRE) (2). The wins came over 7f–3m1f. As at Oct 2026.