2:30 Naas
This Irish EBF Auction Series Race Final over 7f at Naas on soft ground brings together a competitive field of thirteen two-year-olds, most of them with placed or winning form at the trip. The KTB Fit Scores are tightly bunched at the top, with Seven Nation Army heading the list on 57, followed closely by The Scallionator on 54 and a trio on 52. With no clear front-runner the race is expected to develop into a muddling, tactical affair that should play to those positioned close to the pace or with a well-timed late run.
How the race shapes up
The pace shape is described as muddling and tactical with medium confidence, as there is no obvious front-runner in the field. Several runners prefer to race prominently or in mid-division, while the majority are held-up types who will be looking to produce their effort late. This setup should suit those who can get a good position early or those with a turn of foot from off the pace, and the key question is which horse can time its run best on the soft ground from the inside or middle draws.
The KTB Fit ranking
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1Seven Nation Army KTB Selection57/100
Seven Nation Army is a useful performer who has already won over today's 7f trip and arrives in decent form after a win and two placed efforts in his last three starts. Stall 1 could prove handy on soft ground at Naas. The Joseph Patrick O'Brien yard has a solid 12% strike rate here from a big sample of 649 runs while jockey J M Sheridan has a 7% strike rate at the track from 175 rides. Usually held up and producing his effort late, he has an official rating of 93 and recent form figures of 862128. The KTB Fit Score of 57 makes him the selection in a race where the draw and the trainer's course record could be significant assets.
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2The Scallionator54/100
The Scallionator is a useful sort who has won once and placed twice from eight runs this year. He steps up to 7f for the first time having won at the trip on his only previous attempt, though he is unproven on soft ground. Trainer Michael Mulvany operates at a 6% strike rate here from 223 runs while the horse finished fourth on his one visit to Naas. With an official rating of 96 and recent form figures of 104619, he is held up in his races and produces his effort late. The KTB Fit Score of 54 keeps him firmly in the mix despite the ground question.
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3Diamonds And Dames52/100
Diamonds And Dames is a fair 2yo who showed progressive form when winning here over this trip on her second start. She has the plum draw in stall 2 and the yard's 10% strike-rate from 1148 runs at Naas is still worth noting. The small sample on soft ground leaves that side of her profile unknown. Usually racing prominently on or close to the lead, she carries an official rating of 85 with recent form figures of 451. Trainer Mrs J. Harrington and jockey Shane Foley both have 10% strike rates at the track, giving the combination a solid course record.
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4Dawnmore52/100
Dawnmore is a fair performer who has shown consistent placed form, finishing second three times including over this trip and when last seen here at Naas. Dropping back from 1m today looks a sensible move given he has already placed at 7f. Trainer J S Bolger has a solid 13% strike rate from 1282 runs at this track. Usually racing prominently with high confidence in that run-style, he has an official rating of 79 and recent form figures of 5232. Jockey Seamie Heffernan has a 10% strike rate at Naas, adding to the positives for this contender with a KTB Fit Score of 52.
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5Banks Of The Boyne52/100
Banks Of The Boyne is a fair performer who has been consistent without progressing much, with form figures of 224133 showing placed efforts mixed with wins. Dropping back to 7f having won at the trip previously though he was last seen over a mile and is unproven on soft ground. Trainer Michael Mulvany has a modest 6% strike rate at Naas from 223 runs while jockey Colin Keane has a 17% strike rate at the track from 763 rides. Usually held up and producing his effort late, he carries an official rating of 77. The KTB Fit Score of 52 keeps him in the conversation despite the ground and trainer course concerns.
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6Letmeentertainyou51/100
Letmeentertainyou is a useful performer who has shown his best form over this trip, finishing fourth in a decent maiden here before winning a nursery last time. Dropping back from a mile today having failed to land a blow in two previous tries at 7f, the trainer's modest 6% strike rate at Naas from a big sample is a negative. Usually held up, he has an official rating of 90 and recent form figures of 8451.
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7Arizona Raider51/100
Arizona Raider is a fair 2-year-old who has shown steady improvement, finishing third last time after a win at this trip on his second start. He drops back to 7f today having stretched out over 7½f last time, which looks a sensible move given his 1-from-1 record at the distance. The trainer has a 6% strike rate from 223 runs at Naas while the jockey is aboard. Usually held up, he has an official rating of 84 and recent form figures of 531.
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8Seaxburh49/100
Seaxburh has shown fair form across six runs and arrives here in decent nick after two placed efforts. Dropping back to 7f looks a sensible move having been placed three times at the trip without winning. The Joseph Patrick O'Brien yard posts a 12% strike rate at Naas while the going remains an unknown on this lightly-raced profile. Usually held up, he has an official rating of 83 and recent form figures of 562231.
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9Whosinterviewinwho49/100
Whosinterviewinwho is a fair performer who has shown consistent placed form at this trip including a second on his most recent start. He steps up from 6f today which looks a sensible move on his handicap debut and he has already placed once over 7f. Trainer Slattery has a modest 6% strike rate at Naas from a large sample while jockey Andrew Slattery shares the same modest course record. Usually held up, he has an official rating of 80 and recent form figures of 75202.
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10Eighteenth Smiles48/100
Eighteenth Smiles is a fair performer who has shown his best form when placed over this trip, including a recent third at Listowel. Dropping back from a mile looks a sensible move and the first-time headgear is another plus, though the wide draw in stall 12 is far from ideal. Trainer Joseph Patrick O'Brien has a solid 12% strike rate at Naas from a big sample. Usually held up, he has an official rating of 85 and recent form figures of 550331.
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11Revelator47/100
Revelator is a modest performer who has shown little since a placed effort on debut. He was well beaten on his only previous run here and has failed to land a blow at this trip. First-time headgear is now fitted but the yard's modest record at Naas offers little encouragement. Usually held up, he has an official rating of 72 and recent form figures of 7380.
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12Just One Show46/100
Just One Show is lightly raced and open to improvement after two placed efforts from three starts. The first-time headgear is an interesting addition while the yard's small sample at Naas offers no real steer. Trip looks about right though the soft ground remains an unknown at this stage. Typically settling in midfield, he has recent form figures of 250.
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13Silk Twist43/100
Silk Twist has shown only modest form in three starts and was well beaten when last seen over a mile. Dropping back to 7f is a fresh question while first-time headgear is now applied. The yard's modest 8% strike rate at Naas offers no particular encouragement. Usually racing prominently, he has an official rating of 60 and recent form figures of 070.
KTB verdict
Seven Nation Army is the KTB Selection. A useful performer who has already won over 7f, he arrives in decent form after a win and two placed efforts in his last three starts, and stall 1 could prove handy on the soft ground at Naas. The Joseph Patrick O'Brien yard's solid 12% strike rate at the track from a big sample adds further confidence. The main dangers are The Scallionator, who steps up in trip after a previous win at 7f despite being unproven on soft, and Diamonds And Dames, who won here over the trip and has the plum draw in stall 2. Dawnmore and Banks Of The Boyne complete the main principals in a race where timing from off the pace or getting a good early position will be crucial.
KTB Selection Seven Nation Army
This is the narrative read of the 2:30 Naas. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Naas racecard. Every result we hold for the track is on the Naas results & records page. How favourites, trainers, jockeys and the draw have fared here over the last five years is on the Naas racecourse statistics page. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horse has course form at Naas over this trip?
Diamonds And Dames won here over this trip on her second start while Dawnmore finished second here at Naas last time.
How does the draw influence the race on soft ground?
Stall 1 for Seven Nation Army and stall 2 for Diamonds And Dames could prove handy on soft ground at Naas, while the wide draw in stall 12 is far from ideal for Eighteenth Smiles.
Which trainers have the strongest strike rates at Naas in this race?
J S Bolger has a 13% strike rate from 1282 runs, Joseph Patrick O'Brien has a 12% strike rate from 649 runs, and Mrs J. Harrington has a 10% strike rate from 1148 runs.
Which horses are dropping back in trip for this contest?
Dawnmore drops back from 1m, Letmeentertainyou drops back from a mile, Seaxburh is dropping back to 7f, Eighteenth Smiles is dropping back from a mile, and Silk Twist is dropping back to 7f.
Which runners are making their first attempt on soft ground?
The Scallionator, Diamonds And Dames, Dawnmore, Banks Of The Boyne, Seaxburh, Whosinterviewinwho, Revelator, Just One Show and Silk Twist have no runs on soft and are unproven on the ground.
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