2:40 York
This Class 4 stayers' handicap over 2m at York on good ground brings together a field of 12 where the KTB Fit scores are tightly bunched between 57 and 36. With no obvious leader in a race that lacks early pace, the KTB numbers highlight a tactical contest in which proven course performers and those with strong recent efforts at the trip hold the edge. The top five in the KTB ranking are separated by just four points, underlining how competitive the race looks on paper.
How the race shapes up
The pace shape indicates a steadily-run, tactical affair in which being handy should pay dividends. Most of the field are held-up types who produce their effort late, so the key question is whether the race will develop sufficient momentum in the straight for those coming from off the pace to make their move count. With no confirmed front-runner, the early fractions are likely to be modest, placing the emphasis on positioning and timing.
The KTB Fit ranking
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1Call My Bluff KTB Selection57/100
Call My Bluff is a fair performer who has won five times at this trip from 14 attempts and also holds a solid record on good ground with two wins and four places from seven starts. He makes his first visit to York from stall 11 after recent form of 4-9105, though dropping in class looks a positive. Dominic Ffrench Davis has an 11% strike rate at the track from 19 runs while J F Egan brings a 9% strike rate at York from 281 rides. Usually held up and producing his effort late, he should be suited by the steadily-run nature of the race and his proven stamina at the trip.
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2Shadow Dance55/100
Shadow Dance is a fair performer who has won once from three starts at this track. Recent form of 7-6700 is poor and the trainer's record here is modest at 0% from 27 runs. He steps up markedly in trip today which asks a fresh question while the jockey has limited experience at York with a 6% strike rate from 16 rides. Usually held up with high confidence and producing his effort late, he has a 2-5 record on good ground with three places. Dropping in class may help but the combination of the trip and yard form at the venue makes this a stiff task.
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3Rock N Roll Pinkie54/100
Rock N Roll Pinkie is a fair handicapper who has won twice at this track from seven runs and also knows how to win at this trip. He has been largely out of form this year with a string of modest efforts in recent form of 245597 and only one win from eight runs on good ground with two places. The yard operates at a 6% strike rate here from 52 runs while Silvestre De Sousa has a 10% strike rate at York from 526 rides. Usually held up with high confidence and producing his effort late, his two course wins give him a clear foothold in the race.
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4Pinatique54/100
Pinatique is a fair performer who showed a bit more spark when fourth on reappearance at Newmarket last month in recent form of 6960-4. He steps up markedly in trip today which asks a fresh question of him. Sir Mark Prescott has a solid 17% strike-rate at York from 119 runs while Dylan Hogan has a 6% strike rate at the track from 18 rides. With only one run on good ground and no course form on record, the combination of the longer distance and the steadily-run pace may play to his strengths if he can build on that recent effort.
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5Marbuzet53/100
Marbuzet is a modest performer who has shown his best form at this track with two placed efforts from five runs here, including seconds on two occasions. He has won at today's trip but his recent form is mixed in figures of 4-5091 and he is 2-22 on good ground with 13 places. Tim Easterby has a 6% strike rate from 2103 runs at York while jockey Jake Dickson has an 11% strike rate at the track from only nine rides. Usually held up with high confidence and producing his effort late, his course placings suggest he can be competitive again.
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6High Fibre52/100
High Fibre is a fair performer who has shown enough at this track to be competitive, finishing placed on his last visit here. He acts on good ground with a solid record at today's trip, though his recent form is a bit mixed and the yard's strike-rate at York is modest at 5% from 37 runs. Usually held up, stall 10 is no help on this big track.
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7Moon Chime52/100
Moon Chime is a modest performer who has won six times at today's trip from 12 starts and also handles good ground well with three wins from eight runs. Recent form of 636-41 shows consistency without setting the world alight and he remains modestly treated on his best efforts. First run at York with the yard also without a recorded run here so that side remains an unknown.
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8Florida Dreams50/100
Florida Dreams is a modest performer who arrives in reasonable form having placed twice from three starts this year in recent form of 535. He steps up markedly in trip today having last run over 1m1f yet has won twice from seven starts at this distance so the longer stamina test is not a complete unknown. The trainer has no recorded runners at York while the jockey is also making a first appearance here.
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9Percy Shelley47/100
Percy Shelley is a fair performer who has shown consistent placed form at this trip without winning. He has run well here in the past, finishing second on one of two visits to York, though his latest effort over course and distance was only sixth. The yard has a modest 5% strike-rate at the track from 37 runs.
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10Trojan Sun47/100
Trojan Sun is a modest performer who has run three times here without winning, though he has been placed once. He drops back in trip today having last run over 2m2f, with a solid record at this distance including two wins from 15 starts. The trainer's modest 5% strike rate from 408 runs at York is a negative.
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11Newport38/100
Newport is a modest performer who ran respectably when fourth over this course and distance in May yet has failed to build on that in two starts since. He drops back from 2m2f today having won once at this trip from ten attempts, though his record on good ground is only one win from fifteen starts. Iain Jardine has a 3% strike-rate from 124 runs at York.
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12Furhaan36/100
Furhaan is a modest performer who has run well at this track on both previous visits, finishing second and third. He has form at today's trip but is 0-8 on good ground and now drops back in distance after a recent longer run. The trainer's modest 5% strike-rate at York from a big sample adds a note of caution.
KTB verdict
Call My Bluff stands out as the KTB Selection. A fair performer with five wins at this trip from 14 attempts and a strong record on good ground, he drops in class and is expected to be suited by the tactical pace. His trainer's respectable record at York adds to the appeal. The main dangers are Rock N Roll Pinkie, who has won twice at the track, and Marbuzet, who has shown his best form with placed efforts here. Shadow Dance and Pinatique are next in the KTB ranking and cannot be ruled out if the trip and steadily-run race fall in their favour.
KTB Selection Call My Bluff
This is the narrative read of the 2:40 York. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the York racecard. Every result we hold for the track is on the York 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 record at today's trip?
Call My Bluff has won five times at this trip from 14 attempts.
How does the lack of an obvious leader affect the race?
The pace shape indicates a steadily-run, tactical affair where being handy pays.
Which horse has the best trainer strike rate at York?
Sir Mark Prescott has a 17% strike rate at York from 119 runs.
Who has the most placed form at York among the field?
Marbuzet has two placed efforts from five runs here while Furhaan has been placed on both visits.
Which runners are stepping up or down markedly in trip?
Shadow Dance and Pinatique step up markedly in trip while Florida Dreams also steps up markedly having last run over 1m1f.
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