2:49 Stratford
This Class 4 mares' handicap hurdle at Stratford over 2m0f70y on good ground features a compact but competitive field of six. The KTB Fit scores range from 65 down to 45, highlighting a race where the principals hold clear edges on recent form, course records and trainer trends at the venue. With several smart performers involved, the contest looks set to revolve around how the strong pace influences the outcome and which horse is best equipped to capitalise.
How the race shapes up
A strong pace is anticipated given two or more habitual front-runners in the line-up, with Ride Like A Girl and Hello Sweety both tending to make the running or race prominently. This could set the race up for late closers, as the pace looks likely to collapse in the latter stages. The key question is whether the hold-up performers, including the selection Watamu and Granny Hawkins, can weave their way through to deliver their efforts at the right time on this sharp track.
The KTB Fit ranking
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1Watamu KTB Selection65/100
Watamu arrives with a KTB Fit of 65 and is the selection. A smart performer, she has won both starts at Stratford and holds a strong record at today's trip. She comes off a break but has already shown she handles good ground, with one win from one start on it. The yard posts a 19% strike rate at Stratford with an A/E of 1.13 from 217 runs, while the trainer and jockey combination shows 6/37 (16%) with an A/E of 1.25 and +£2.88 LSP. Usually held up and producing her effort late, she is drawn to benefit if the strong pace materialises. Jockey Jonathan Burke's 10% strike rate at the track with an A/E of 0.55 from 115 rides is the one slight negative in an otherwise solid profile.
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2Granny Hawkins59/100
Granny Hawkins is rated with a KTB Fit of 59. A smart performer, she has won four of her last six starts including a comfortable success here over this trip on her only previous visit to Stratford. She has run creditably in two stronger handicaps since, finishing third and fifth, and remains well treated on her best form. The seven-year-old has three wins from 12 starts on good ground with seven places and is usually held up, producing her effort late with high confidence. Alan King has a 22% strike rate at Stratford with an A/E of 1 from 249 runs, while Tom Cannon posts 15% with an A/E of 1 from 182 rides. The trainer and jockey record stands at 189/1368 (14%) with an A/E of 0.78.
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3Ride Like A Girl58/100
Ride Like A Girl carries a KTB Fit of 58. A smart performer with a solid recent record of 4-1221, she boasts three wins at today's trip. She has already shown her liking for this track when finishing second here on her only visit and handles good ground well with two wins from seven starts and five places. Tending to make the running or race on the pace, she is likely to be prominent in a race with a strong pace likely. Jamie Snowden has a 19% strike rate at Stratford with an A/E of 0.9 from 154 runs, while Gavin Sheehan posts 18% with an A/E of 0.97 from 245 rides. The trainer and jockey record is 331/1462 (23%) with an A/E of 0.99.
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4Hello Sweety56/100
Hello Sweety has a KTB Fit of 56. A smart performer with a solid recent record including two wins in the last four starts, she has won at today's trip and shown useful form on good ground with two wins from seven starts and four places. Tending to make the running or race on the pace with high confidence, she is another who will be to the fore early. Stuart Edmunds has a 13% strike rate at Stratford with an A/E of 0.84 from 31 runs, while Charlie Hammond posts 7% with an A/E of 0.66 from 152 rides. The trainer and jockey record stands at 64/316 (20%) with an A/E of 1.11 and +£27.82 LSP.
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5Roarin' Success53/100
Roarin' Success is a useful performer who has won two of three starts here and arrives in solid form after a recent string of placed efforts. He drops back to a trip he has won at before though he was only placed once in six runs on good ground last time out. Donald McCain has a respectable 15% strike rate at Stratford with an A/E of 0.91 from 220 runs.
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6Likewhatyousee45/100
Likewhatyousee is a smart performer who has shown strong form this year with two wins and a second from his last four completed starts. Dropping in class and back to 2m having been placed at the trip before, the good ground looks fine given his record of one win from seven starts with three places. The yard's modest 4% strike rate at Stratford with an A/E of 0.17 from 26 runs is a clear negative.
KTB verdict
Watamu stands out as the KTB Selection with a clear profile edge, having won both previous starts at Stratford and boasting a strong record at this trip. She handles the good ground, benefits from the yard's healthy 19% strike rate at the venue, and is ideally placed to strike late if the strong pace collapses as expected. Granny Hawkins, with her course win and credible efforts in stronger company, looks the most obvious danger, while Ride Like A Girl and Hello Sweety may set the fractions and could prove hard to peg back if the pace does not fully unwind.
KTB Selection Watamu
Morning odds
Best available price per runner, captured 00:00 UTC, 17 Oct. These are a morning snapshot and will have moved — see the live racecard for current prices.
| Runner | Morning price | Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|
| Watamu | 5/2 | LiveScore Bet |
| Granny Hawkins | 10/1 | William Hill |
| Ride Like A Girl | 7/2 | William Hill |
| Hello Sweety | 5/1 | William Hill |
| Roarin' Success | 17/2 | Bet365 |
| Likewhatyousee | 5/1 | Bet365 |
This is the narrative read of the 2:49 Stratford. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Stratford racecard. Every result we hold for the track is on the Stratford results & records page. How favourites, trainers, jockeys and the draw have fared here over the last five years is on the Stratford racecourse statistics page. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horse has won both previous starts at Stratford?
Watamu
How many of the last six starts has Granny Hawkins won?
Four
Which two runners are likely to set a strong pace from the front?
Ride Like A Girl and Hello Sweety
What is the trainer's strike rate at Stratford for the yard of the selection?
19%
Which horse is dropping in class?
Likewhatyousee
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