2:15 Hamilton
A modest Class 6 apprentice handicap over 1m1f35y at Hamilton on good to soft ground features a field of just six, where the KTB Fit scores underline the general limitations on show. Falcon Nine tops the ratings on 58 despite a modest profile, while Royal Blaze, Book Of Life and Port Darwin follow in the 46-49 bracket, with the remainder some way behind. The race looks an opportunity for a limited performer to capitalise on a drop in trip or class, though several arrive with questions to answer on the surface or stamina.
How the race shapes up
With no confirmed front-runners in the small field the early pace is expected to be steady, allowing those with a more patient run-style to come into play as the race develops. Falcon Nine from stall 1 and Storm On Jura from stall 2 are likely to track the leaders, while the likes of Book Of Life and Far Ahead may be held up off the pace. The key question is whether any horse can find the necessary improvement to break a long losing run or handle the step up or down in trip on ground that remains unproven for a couple in the line-up.
The KTB Fit ranking
- 1Falcon Nine KTB Selection58/100Falcon Nine is a limited performer on balance who has been largely out of form this year with a recent best of only seventh.
- 2Royal Blaze49/100Limited performer who has shown little spark in three runs this year and steps up in trip having last raced over 7f.
- 3Book Of Life46/100Book Of Life is a limited performer who has been consistent at this level without winning for a long time.
- 4Port Darwin46/100Port Darwin has shown only limited ability across 12 starts and arrives in a modest streak of form.
- 5Storm On Jura43/100Storm On Jura has shown only limited ability and looks up against it from a modest career record.
- 6Far Ahead32/100Far Ahead has looked limited in 14 runs and arrives in poor form with a string of duck eggs either side of a distant second at Redcar.
The contenders
Falcon Nine KTB Fit 58/100
Falcon Nine is a limited performer on balance who has been largely out of form this year with a recent best of only seventh. He drops back to a trip he has won at twice from three starts though that was some time ago and his two runs on good to soft have produced no win or place. The trainer holds a 12 percent strike rate here from a big sample while the jockey is less proven with a 7 percent record from 28 rides. Drawn in stall 1 he should get a nice position early. Recent form figures read 04-772 and he carries an official rating that reflects his modest level. The selection comes into the race with the highest KTB Fit Score of 58.
Royal Blaze KTB Fit 49/100
Royal Blaze is a limited performer who has shown little spark in three runs this year and steps up in trip having last raced over 7f. He has placed once from a single run at Hamilton and is competitive on good to soft but has failed to win on either surface or distance. The trainer's modest 4% strike rate at the track adds little encouragement while the jockey has an 8% record at Hamilton from 25 rides. Recent form reads 23-448 and he is dropping in class which may help him become more competitive. Drawn in stall 5 he may be able to secure a handy position. His KTB Fit Score stands at 49.
Book Of Life KTB Fit 46/100
Book Of Life is a limited performer who has been consistent at this level without winning for a long time. He has won at today's trip from only three attempts and has shown he can be competitive on good to soft ground. The trainer's modest 7% strike rate at Hamilton is backed by a fair sample while the 3lb claimer has too few rides here to assess. Recent form figures of 624324 underline his reliability in modest company. Drawn in stall 3 he should be able to adopt a handy position early. His KTB Fit Score is 46.
Port Darwin KTB Fit 46/100
Port Darwin has shown only limited ability across 12 starts and arrives in a modest streak of form. The yard has a 12% strike rate here from a decent-sized sample but the jockey is still seeking a first course winner from seven rides. Dropping back from 1m4f poses a fresh question while he remains unproven on good to soft ground. Recent form reads 567276 and at three years old he remains open to some physical improvement. Drawn widest in stall 6 he will need to be ridden positively to secure a good early spot. The KTB Fit Score is 46.
The rest of the field
Storm On JuraKTB Fit 43/100
Storm On Jura has shown only limited ability and looks up against it from a modest career record. He has failed to place in four runs at Hamilton and is now dropping back in trip having been well held over longer last time. The trainer’s modest 10% strike rate here from a huge sample is another negative while recent form reads 489-09. His KTB Fit Score is 43.
Far AheadKTB Fit 32/100
Far Ahead has looked limited in 14 runs and arrives in poor form with a string of duck eggs either side of a distant second at Redcar. The yard’s modest 7% strike-rate at Hamilton and the jockey’s 4% record here offer no encouragement. Stepping up in trip for the first time on ground he has barely tried adds fresh questions to a horse who already struggles to get competitive. Recent form reads 000702 and his KTB Fit Score is the lowest on 32.
KTB verdict
Falcon Nine is the KTB Selection and, despite being a limited performer who has been out of form for much of the year, he appeals most on balance as he drops back to a trip he has won twice before. The highest Fit Score of 58 reflects his claims in a modest race where few boast strong recent form or obvious upside. Royal Blaze and Book Of Life look the main dangers, the former dropping in class and competitive on the surface while the latter has shown consistency at this level and a previous win over the trip. Port Darwin may improve for the drop back in distance but remains unproven on good to soft.
KTB Selection Falcon Nine
This is the narrative read of the 2:15 Hamilton. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Hamilton racecard. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horse has won over today's distance before?
Falcon Nine has won at today's trip twice from three starts and Book Of Life has won at today's trip from only three attempts.
Who has the strongest trainer record at Hamilton in this race?
Iain Jardine has a 12% strike rate at Hamilton from 619 runs and Charlie Johnston also has a 12% strike rate at Hamilton from 153 runs.
Which runners are unproven on good to soft ground?
Port Darwin has no runs on good to soft and Far Ahead has had 1 run on good to soft with no win or place.
Who has course experience at Hamilton?
Royal Blaze has run once here and finished third while Storm On Jura has run four times here with no win or place.
What does the pace shape suggest for the race?
With no confirmed front-runners the early pace is expected to be steady, allowing patient runners to come into play later.
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