1:30 Bath
A Class 6 handicap over 2m1f24y at Bath on good ground brings together a field of 13 limited performers, many of whom are dropping in class while tackling a trip that will ask fresh questions of several. The KTB Fit Scores are tightly bunched at the top, headed by Chillhi on 57, with Merrijig, Calshot Spit, Pacific Storm and Buck Barrow completing the principals. Most of the field are held-up types, and the overall picture points to a race where ability to produce a late effort on a steadily-run track will be key.
How the race shapes up
The pace shape lacks an obvious leader and is rated with medium confidence, suggesting a steadily-run, tactical affair in which being handy on the turn could pay dividends. With the majority of the field, including all five principals, tending to be held up and produce their efforts late, the race is likely to develop into a test of timing from off the pace. The key question will be whether any horse can quicken effectively off a modest gallop or whether one of the more prominent runners can steal an advantage in a race where few want to make the running.
The KTB Fit ranking
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1Chillhi KTB Selection57/100
Chillhi is a limited performer who has been struggling for a while and showed little spark on his last two starts. He drops back in trip today having been placed once at this distance without winning, while the good ground is familiar from his two career successes. The six-year-old is held up and usually produces his effort late. Trainer Barry Murphy has a 10% strike rate at Bath with an A/E of 1.71 from 10 runs, though jockey David Probert's 13% strike rate at the track comes with an A/E of 0.91 from 663 rides. He steps down in class from an OR of 55.
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2Merrijig55/100
Merrijig is a modest performer with a solid recent record of consistent minor placings. The eight-year-old has won over today's trip and shown his best form on good ground with two wins and six places from 14 starts. He is held up and usually produces his effort late. Trainer John Berry has an 8% strike rate at Bath with an A/E of 0.66 from 74 runs, while the combination with jockey Gina Mangan shows a 16/90 (18%) record with an A/E of 1.36 and +£32.63 LSP. Dropping in class from an OR of 60, the yard's modest strike rate at the track remains the main negative.
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3Calshot Spit53/100
Calshot Spit is a modest performer who has won once from four runs at Bath. He steps up in trip today having last run over 1m5f yet owns a solid record at this distance with three wins from six attempts. The six-year-old is held up and usually produces his effort late. Trainer Sheena West has a 9% strike rate at Bath with an A/E of 0.61 from 57 runs, while the trainer-jockey combination with Charles Bishop shows 4/62 (6%) with an A/E of 0.57 and -£48.50 LSP. He acts on good ground with two wins and five places from nine starts and drops in class from an OR of 60.
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4Pacific Storm52/100
Pacific Storm is a limited performer who has shown little in three runs to date, finishing no better than fifth. The three-year-old steps up markedly in trip today while wearing first-time headgear, both of which pose fresh questions. He is held up, though there is limited evidence and low confidence in the run-style. Trainer David Menuisier has an 11% strike rate at Bath with an A/E of 0.76 from 9 runs, while jockey Jack Dace has an 11% strike rate at the track with an A/E of 1.22 from 19 rides. He drops in class from an OR of 59 with no wins or places in three runs on good ground.
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5Buck Barrow47/100
Buck Barrow is a limited performer who has been a regular at this track without winning, finishing no better than sixth in six runs here. He has shown some competitiveness on good ground with three placed efforts from 12 starts but steps up markedly in trip today for the first time which remains an unknown. The four-year-old is held up and usually produces his effort late. Trainer Adrian Wintle has a 15% strike rate at Bath with an A/E of 1.07 from 285 runs, while the trainer-jockey combination with George Wood shows 1/14 (7%) with an A/E of 0.67 and -£11.80 LSP. He drops in class from an OR of 49.
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6Fram Castle44/100
Fram Castle is a limited performer who has won once from just one run at Bath. He steps up markedly in trip today having last run over 1m6f and that asks a fresh question. The five-year-old is held up and usually produces his effort late. Trainer Michael Wigham has a 15% strike rate at Bath with an A/E of 1.09 from 34 runs.
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7Al's River44/100
Al's River is a limited performer who has shown only modest form across nine starts, with recent efforts of 648353 reflecting a horse that competes but rarely threatens to win. He drops back in trip to 2m1f today, which asks a fresh question of him, while the switch to Bath is his first run at the track. The three-year-old is held up and usually produces his effort late. Trainer James Horton has a 0% strike rate at Bath from 4 runs.
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8Cherry Cola43/100
Cherry Cola is a limited performer who has been running consistently enough in this grade lately without looking like winning. She has won once in 13 starts at Bath and is proven over today's trip, though she steps back up in distance having last run over 1m6f. The ten-year-old is held up and usually produces her effort late. Trainer Sheena West has a 9% strike rate at Bath with an A/E of 0.61 from 57 runs.
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9Star of Jupiter43/100
Star of Jupiter is a limited performer who has shown his best at this track with a placed effort last time out. He steps up in trip today having already placed once over the distance without winning, though his three runs on good ground have produced no wins or places. The five-year-old is held up and usually produces his effort late. Trainer Mark Loughnane has a 9% strike rate at Bath with an A/E of 0.8 from 174 runs.
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10Forest Hills41/100
Forest Hills is a limited performer who has shown only modest form in recent starts and looks up against it from a mark that reflects that level. The five-year-old drops back in trip which poses a fresh question and he has never run here before. He is held up and usually produces his effort late. Trainer Carroll Gray has a 0% strike rate at Bath from 14 runs.
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11Individualiste38/100
Individualiste is a limited horse who has shown little for a while and was beaten 13 lengths when second of seven at Kempton last time. He steps up in trip today which asks a fresh question and this is his first run at Bath. The eight-year-old is held up and usually produces his effort late. Trainer Ben Lund has a 0% strike rate at Bath from 8 runs.
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12Smith34/100
Smith is a limited performer who has shown little spark this year and was pulled up last time. He has placed once at this track and is stepping up in trip having been placed without winning at this distance before, though he has failed to place in six runs on good ground. The ten-year-old is held up and usually produces his effort late. Trainer Lydia Richards has a 7% strike rate at Bath from 14 runs.
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13Nature33/100
Nature is a limited performer who has been largely out of her depth in recent starts and finished no better than mid-division on her only previous visit to Bath. She steps up in trip today which asks a fresh question and she has shown only one win from 11 starts on good ground. The eight-year-old has run once here, finishing seventh.
KTB verdict
Chillhi is the KTB Selection. A limited horse who has been struggling for a while, he drops back in trip and in class on ground that has suited him for both career wins, with the trainer holding a positive 10% strike rate and 1.71 A/E at Bath from a small sample. The steadily-run affair should suit his held-up style if he can find a spark. Main dangers are Merrijig, whose consistent recent minor placings and good-ground record make him a solid each-way candidate despite the yard's modest course strike rate, and Calshot Spit, who has a good record at this trip and has already won at Bath. Pacific Storm and Buck Barrow add further interest in a race where several are tackling new trips.
KTB Selection Chillhi
This is the narrative read of the 1:30 Bath. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Bath racecard. Every result we hold for the track is on the Bath results & records page. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horse has the strongest trainer record at Bath among the principals?
Buck Barrow's trainer Adrian Wintle has a 15% strike rate at Bath with an A/E of 1.07 from 285 runs.
How many of the principals have previous winning form at Bath?
Only Calshot Spit has won at Bath, with one success from four runs.
Which horse is wearing headgear for the first time?
Pacific Storm is wearing first-time headgear.
What is the course record of the selection Chillhi at Bath?
Chillhi has no course form on record at Bath.
Which runner has the best jockey strike rate at Bath among those with notable figures?
Paddy Bradley has a 22% strike rate at Bath with an A/E of 2.06 from 32 rides, though he rides the non-principal Star of Jupiter.
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