Horse profile
Intense Approach (GB)
24 runs · 16 courses · from May 2023
As at 25 Oct 2026 · KTB archive: GB, Ireland & France · 2005–present, updated daily
7 wins · 7 courses
Last run 13 Oct 2026 · 2nd of 5
Last raced off OR 126
KTB Profile
Intense Approach is a gelding who has won seven of 24 starts on turf, with five of those wins over 2m5f – 3m on good or good to soft. He won a Class 2 novices’ hurdle at Musselburgh in Feb 2025 off an official rating of 133 and a Class 2 event at Cheltenham in Oct 2024 off 127. His last run, at Punchestown in Oct 2026, saw him finish second of five after leading. He has raced at 16 different courses.
Based on 24 archived runs · run-style from 18 commented runs since Aug 2024 · updated 25 Oct 2026
KTB at a glance
OR ↓ 11lb off peak
- 7–24Wins / Runs
- 29.2%Strike rate
- 11 (45.8%)Placed
- −4.62£1 level staken=24 at SP
- 1.31Fair A/E n=24 · 1.12 incl. margin
- 137Highest OR
- 54dAvg 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 rating126↓ 11lb off peak
126
122–137
KTB Speed and Rating
KTB Speed
Best recent Speed 118
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 25 Oct 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | 8 | 126A | 97.5 | 3 runs · 91 / 77 |
| Good to Soft | 2 | 125C | 121.5 | — |
| Soft | 2 | 132A | 117.5 | — |
| Distance | Runs | Best | Median | Since 25 Oct 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2m5f – 3m | 6 | 126A | 115 | 1 run · — |
| 2m1f – 2m4f | 4 | 132A | 93 | 2 runs · 91 / 66 |
| 1m5f – 2m | 2 | 103A | 101.5 | — |
Flat
Of 24 runs looked at, 11 have no figure: did not complete (5) · not enough races on the card to set the day (under 4) (3) · obstacles omitted — the race ran a shortened course (3).
KTB Speed v1 · batch 15 Sep 2026 · GB & Irish racing only · 13 figures from 24 runs · as at 21 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 18 analysed runs since Aug 2024
- Led 6 (33%) · 3 wins
- Prominent 6 (33%) · 1 win
- Mid-division 3 (17%) · 0 wins
- Held up 3 (17%) · 1 win
Pedigree intelligence
Sire
Progeny in our archive have won 10.2% of 1,068 runs since Jan 2008 (201 horses).
Strongest over 2m5f – 3m (all codes): 17.6% from 119.
| Going | Runs | Wins | SR | vs sire | This horse |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good to Firm | 27 | 5 | 18.5% | +8.3 | — |
| Good | 446 | 49 | 11% | +0.8 | 5 from 15 |
| Good to Soft | 281 | 27 | 9.6% | −0.6 | 1 from 5 |
| Soft | 207 | 17 | 8.2% | −2 | 1 from 2 |
| Heavy | 47 | 8 | 17% | +6.8 | 0 from 2 |
| Standard (AW) | 60 | 3 | 5% | −5.2 | — |
| Distance (all codes) | Runs | Wins | SR | vs sire | This horse |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6f – 7f | 4 | 0 | 0% | −10.2 | — |
| 1m – 1m1f | 11 | 0 | 0% | −10.2 | — |
| 1m2f – 1m4f | 46 | 2 | 4.3% | −5.9 | 0 from 1 |
| 1m5f – 2m | 562 | 49 | 8.7% | −1.5 | 1 from 3 |
| 2m1f – 2m4f | 317 | 36 | 11.4% | +1.2 | 1 from 8 |
| 2m5f – 3m | 119 | 21 | 17.6% | +7.4 | 5 from 11 |
| Over 3m | 9 | 1 | 11.1% | +0.9 | 0 from 1 |
Flat and jumps together (all codes) · since Jan 2008 · as at 24 Oct 2026 · rows under 30 runs muted · win % is the measure, a record not a forecast
Record by conditions
| Going | Runs | Wins | SR | £1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | 15 | 5 | 33% | −0.25 |
| Good to Soft | 5 | 1 | 20% | −2.75 |
| Heavy | 2 | 0 | 0% | −2.00 |
| Soft | 2 | 1 | 50% | +0.38 |
| Class | Runs | Wins | SR | £1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | 5 | 0 | 0% | −5.00 |
| Class 2 | 3 | 2 | 67% | +2.25 |
| Class 3 | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Class 4 | 1 | 1 | 100% | +0.33 |
| Course | Runs | Wins | SR | £1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheltenham | 4 | 1 | 25% | −1.00 |
| Bellewstown | 3 | 1 | 33% | −1.75 |
| Musselburgh | 2 | 1 | 50% | +0.25 |
| Kelso | 2 | 1 | 50% | −0.67 |
| Downpatrick | 2 | 1 | 50% | −0.33 |
| Punchestown (IRE) | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Tramore (IRE) | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Kilbeggan (IRE) | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Galway (IRE) | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Navan | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Galway | 1 | 1 | 100% | +6.50 |
| Perth | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Chepstow | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Wexford | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Listowel | 1 | 1 | 100% | +1.38 |
| Ballinrobe | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Distance | Runs | Wins | SR | £1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2m5f – 3m | 11 | 5 | 45% | +4.75 |
| 2m1f – 2m4f | 8 | 1 | 13% | −6.75 |
| 1m5f – 2m | 3 | 1 | 33% | −0.62 |
| 1m2f – 1m4f | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Over 3m | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Jockey | Runs | Wins | SR | £1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Harvey | 13 | 5 | 38% | +1.13 |
| Ben Harvey | 3 | 0 | 0% | −3.00 |
| James Bowen | 2 | 1 | 50% | +0.25 |
| Harry Cobden | 2 | 1 | 50% | +1.00 |
| Conor Smithers | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Ms L A Byrne | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Darragh O'Keeffe | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Sean Bowen | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Headgear | Runs | Wins | SR | £1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| None | 17 | 7 | 41% | +2.38 |
| Cheekpieces | 3 | 0 | 0% | −3.00 |
| Blinkers | 3 | 0 | 0% | −3.00 |
| Tongue tie | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Season | Runs | Wins | SR | £1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 8 | 0 | 0% | −8.00 |
| 2025 | 5 | 2 | 40% | +4.75 |
| 2024 | 7 | 3 | 43% | −1.00 |
| 2023 | 4 | 2 | 50% | −0.37 |
| Type | Runs | Wins | SR | £1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hurdle | 12 | 4 | 33% | −3.75 |
| Chase | 8 | 1 | 13% | −0.50 |
| NH Flat | 3 | 2 | 67% | +0.63 |
| Flat | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 · 8 runs | ||||||||||
| 13 Oct 26+58d | Punchestown (IRE) | William Hill Challenge Series Hurdle Made all the running - three lengths clear at halfway - drifted left at the 7th - error 3 out - under pressure after 2 out - passed before the last - urged on run-in - stayed on but no answer to winner - 2nd | 2/5 | 4½ | 10-7 | 126 | 77C | 130B | Conor Smithers | 14/1 |
| 16 Aug 26+8d | Tramore (IRE) | McCarthy's Irish Bar Lexington Handicap Steeplechase Held up in midfield - stumbled twice through the field - up to 3rd by halfway - urged into effort but slipped backwards after 3 out - pulled up before the final fence | PU/10 | — | 12-0 | 122 | — | — | Alex Harvey | 11/2 |
| 08 Aug 26+8d | Kilbeggan (IRE) | KEPAK Handicap Steeplechase Handy early - in front from 1st - error 3rd - drifted left 7th - clear by six lengths 3 out - blunder soon after cut margin - driven and drew level last with heavy error and lost front spot - unable to fight back - faded on run-in finishing sixth | 6/8 | ½ | 11-5 | 123 | 91A | 124A | Alex Harvey | 10/1 |
| 31 Jul 26+29d | Galway (IRE) | Guinness Galway Blazers Handicap Steeplechase Sat close to the pace early - shared front spot by the 9th before losing command approaching 2 out - faded late finishing well beaten | 13/20 | 9 | 10-13 | 127 | — | 113C | Alex Harvey | 16/1 |
| 02 Jul 26+112d | Bellewstown | Seamus Mulvaney Bookmaker, Crockafotha (Q.R.) Race Slow to break and dropped well back - midpack in 6th around 4f out - unable to close from there and finished 5th | 5/7 | 2 | 10-7 | — | 94A | 61A | Ms L A Byrne | 13/2 |
| 12 Mar 26+12d | Cheltenham | Jack Richards Novices' Limited Handicap Chase (Grade 2) (Registered As The Golden Miller) (GBB Race) Settled off the pace in the pack - clipped fence 10th and lost momentum - erred again 4 out then dropped away steadily to finish last | 16/18 | 14 | 10-8 | 137 | 41C | 117C | Alex Harvey | 80/1 |
| 28 Feb 26+27d | Navan | Flyingbolt Novice Chase (Grade 3) Tracked front group early - up to 3rd by halfway with a minor error 4 out - pushed along and unable to find more from 3 out before finishing 5th | 5/5 | 20 | 11-1 | 132 | — | 106C | Darragh O'Keeffe | 50/1 |
| 01 Feb 26+99d | Musselburgh | bet365 Frodon Novices' Limited Handicap Chase (GBB Race) Disputed front spot early - stumbled and lost jockey after the opening fence | UR/6 | — | 11-7 | 137 | — | — | Alex Harvey | 11/2 |
| 2025 · 5 runs | ||||||||||
| 25 Oct 25+85d | Cheltenham | William Hill Extra Places With BOG 'Chasing Excellence' Novices' Chase (GBB Race) Handy early - hit front 2nd - lost advantage 11th - pressed into final turn - lost pace soon after - held 4th before losing place near last - dropped away late finishing 5th | 5/7 | 13 | 11-7 | 137 | — | 119A | Alex Harvey | 2/1F |
| 01 Aug 25+100d | Galway | Guinness Beginners Chase Went straight to front - lost advantage for a spell around the 6th before regaining it near the 5th and holding a forward spot - back in command early in the straight - asked for effort and stayed on strongly close home to score | 1/16 | 11-7 | — | — | 129A | Alex Harvey | 13/2 | |
| 23 Apr 25+40d | Perth | British EBF Gold Castle 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle (Listed) (GBB Race) Settled handy early despite a scratchy first fence - sat just behind the pace-setter from the 2nd - drifted left over the 6th - scrappy again two out then slipped back to third - driven along and faded before the last - well held at the finish | 8/14 | 5½ | 11-5 | 133 | 118B | 129A | James Bowen | 9/1 |
| 14 Mar 25+41d | Cheltenham | Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1) (Registered As The Spa Novices' Hurdle) (GBB Race) Settled in the pack early - moved into third and stayed on terms with the front group - dropped away nearing two out - eased down and pulled up soon after | PU/20 | — | 11-7 | 137 | — | — | Sean Bowen | 14/1 |
| 01 Feb 25+98d | Musselburgh | bet365 Scottish Stayers' Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race) Led from the start - pushed along after two out - drew away on the run-in | 1/5 | 11-8 | 133 | 125C | 142B | James Bowen | 5/4F | |
| 2024 · 7 runs | ||||||||||
| 26 Oct 24+15d | Cheltenham | William Hill Betting Done Properly Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race) Went to the front from the off - opened a big advantage before the last - drifted right on the run-in - kept finding more to score with ease | 1/5 | 11-8 | 127 | 112C | 134B | Harry Cobden | 2/1F | |
| 11 Oct 24+23d | Chepstow | Unibet Persian War Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2) (GBB Race) Went straight to front - pressed and lost lead before the final fence - stayed on but outpaced by winner | 2/7 | 7½ | 11-0 | 127 | 132A | 139B | Harry Cobden | 11/2 |
| 18 Sep 24+23d | Kelso | Borders Carers Centre Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race) Untidy over early obstacles - up with the pace - shared front spot before the 2nd - once more untidy 3rd - error 4th - clean leap forward to take command 6th - holding a clear advantage before 2 out - called upon soon after - stayed on nearing the last - driven out on the run-in for the win | 1/7 | 11-2 | 127 | — | 135A | Alex Harvey | 1/3F | |
| 26 Aug 24+15d | Downpatrick | Randox Maiden Hurdle Held up towards the back early - 5th at halfway - improved into 3rd four out before taking control 2 out - asserted and opened a gap on the run-in - stayed on strongly for an emphatic success | 1/7 | 11-7 | — | 126A | 136B | Alex Harvey | 4/6F | |
| 11 Aug 24+36d | Downpatrick | Randox Maiden Hurdle Towards the back early - bumped at the 1st - jumped untidily at the 3rd - moved up to challenge after the 4th - up with the front group from 2 out - cantering into contention when knocked into at the last - slipped back to 4th momentarily before rallying to 2nd - pressed the winner along the run-in - stayed on but the gap to the | 2/11 | 1¾ | 11-5 | — | 104A | 128A | Alex Harvey | 11/8F |
| 06 Jul 24+126d | Bellewstown | Grimme Ireland Maiden Hurdle | F/13 | — | 11-12 | — | — | — | Ben Harvey | 11/4J |
| 02 Mar 24+106d | Kelso | bet365 Premier Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2) (GBB Race) | PU/12 | — | 11-5 | — | — | — | Ben Harvey | 22/1 |
| 2023 · 4 runs | ||||||||||
| 17 Nov 23+55d | Wexford | BoyleSports Maiden Hurdle | F/12 | — | 11-4 | — | — | — | Ben Harvey | 6/5F |
| 23 Sep 23+77d | Listowel | Brendan Daly Memorial Slan Abhaile (Pro/Am) Flat Race | 1/6 | 11-5 | — | 103A | 129B | Alex Harvey | 11/8 | |
| 08 Jul 23+39d | Bellewstown | Bar One Racing Guaranteed Overnight Prices Flat Race | 1/8 | 10-10 | — | 95A | 123B | Alex Harvey | 1/4F | |
| 30 May 23 | Ballinrobe | Bank Of Ireland Flat Race | 2/15 | hd | 11-1 | — | 100B | 130A | Alex Harvey | 3/1 |
Quick answers
- How many races has Intense Approach won?
- Intense Approach (GB) won 7 of 24 archived starts between 2023 and 2026, a strike rate of 29.2%. Placed 11 times in total (45.8% of starts).
- Who trains Intense Approach?
- Intense Approach (GB) is trained by John McConnell, who saddled the horse on its most recent run on 13 October 2026.
- Who is Intense Approach's sire?
- Intense Approach (GB) is by Jack Hobbs (GB) out of Intense Tango (GB), whose sire is Mastercraftsman.
- What going does Intense Approach prefer?
- Intense Approach (GB) has the best record on good going: 5 wins from 15 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 Intense Approach's official rating?
- The most recent official rating on record is 126, from the run on 13 October 2026. The highest on record is 137.
- What is Intense Approach's sire's record?
- Jack Hobbs (GB)'s progeny in our archive have won 10.2% of 1,068 runs since Jan 2008 (201 horses), Flat and jumps together. Strongest over 2m5f – 3m (all codes): 17.6% from 119.
- Who are Intense Approach's siblings?
- Out of Intense Tango (GB), Intense Approach (GB) has 1 other produce in our archive, 0 of them winners. As at Oct 2026.