2:50 Downpatrick
The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Handicap Hurdle at Downpatrick over 2m2f185y on good ground brings together a field of 14 where the KTB Fit scores highlight a competitive but open-looking contest. Tir Og tops the ratings on 77 despite a modest recent record, while She's A Fine Wine sits second on 66 having shown strong recent form. The remainder of the principals and the wider field feature a mix of smart performers with varying degrees of current form, course experience and going preferences, setting up a race where trainer and jockey course stats, headgear applications and trip considerations will all play their part.
How the race shapes up
The pace shape suggests a race that should be run at a genuine gallop with a good mix of prominent racers and those who come from off the pace. Several runners prefer to race prominently or track the leaders, which could see an early battle for position on the sharp Downpatrick circuit. The key question is whether the prominent types can dictate matters or if the race will fall into the hands of a strong traveller who can pick up the pieces late on the stiff uphill finish.
The KTB Fit ranking
- 1Tir Og KTB Selection77/100Smart performer who won on his only previous visit to Downpatrick.
- 2She's A Fine Wine66/100She's A Fine Wine is a smart mare with a solid career record that includes a win at this trip.
- 3Hasten Slowly59/100Smart performer who has won six times but arrives here in modest form having finished seventh on his last two starts.
- 4Miss Manzor59/100Smart performer who has been largely disappointing since a promising start to her career.
- 5Hillhead Runner57/100Smart performer who has placed on his only run here and shown useful form at this trip.
- 6Rockstown Girl56/100Smart performer who arrives in decent nick after a placed effort last time and boasts a win at today's trip.
- 7Radar Ahead55/100Smart performer who has won over today's trip and holds a solid record on good ground.
- 8Long Gone55/100Smart performer who has run well enough at this track before but was pulled up on his final start last season.
- 9Miss Lia49/100Miss Lia is a useful mare who has placed twice in three runs at Downpatrick including a second on her latest visit here.
- 10Gangster Granny48/100Gangster Granny is a useful performer who has won over course and distance and boasts a solid record on good ground with three wins from eight starts.
- 11Wild Mandate47/100Useful performer who has been placed three times from seven starts at this trip and three times from eight runs on good ground.
- 12Layenda44/100Layenda showed useful ability when third over this trip on her only run here at Downpatrick last time.
- 13You Make Me Smile43/100Useful performer who ran well when third over course and distance on his latest start.
- 14Midnight Eagle38/100Midnight Eagle is a useful performer who showed a bit more spark when third on return at this trip last time.
The contenders
Tir Og KTB Fit 77/100
Tir Og is a smart performer who won on his only previous visit to Downpatrick. He has shown little in two starts this season though and drops back in trip while wearing headgear for the first time. The yard boasts a 33% strike rate at Downpatrick with an A/E of 1.92 from three runs and the trainer and jockey combination holds a 3/17 record with an A/E of 1.80. Calum Hogan has a 50% strike rate at the track from four rides with an A/E of 4.37. The selection has a win from four runs on good ground and the first-time headgear is now enlisted in a bid to spark a revival.
She's A Fine Wine KTB Fit 66/100
She's A Fine Wine is a smart mare with a solid career record that includes a win at this trip. She has performed well on good ground with two wins and five places from six starts and arrives in form after a recent victory. The Henry De Bromhead yard holds a 16% strike rate at Downpatrick with an A/E of 0.87 from 159 runs while Mike O'Connor operates at 11% here with an A/E of 0.99 from 57 rides. This is her first run at the track. She has shown she can be effective at today's distance and the good ground looks ideal.
Hasten Slowly KTB Fit 59/100
Hasten Slowly is a smart performer who has won six times but arrives here in modest form having finished seventh on his last two starts. First-time headgear is now applied and he has shown he handles good ground with three wins from sixteen attempts. John C McConnell has a solid 12% strike rate at this track with an A/E of 0.95 from 297 runs while Dylan Kidd is less proven here at 5% with an A/E of 0.68 from 19 rides. The six-year-old has no course form on record but the application of headgear may help him bounce back to his best.
Miss Manzor KTB Fit 59/100
Miss Manzor is a smart performer who has been largely disappointing since a promising start to her career. She steps up in trip today having shown little on her two previous attempts at this distance and has failed to place in three runs on good ground. Gordon Elliott has a solid 19% strike rate here with an A/E of 0.9 from 913 runs while Kevin Sexton is operating at 11% with an A/E of 0.93 from 120 rides. The recent form figures of 4P/P-5 underline the inconsistency but the yard's local record offers some hope in a first-time visit to Downpatrick.
Hillhead Runner KTB Fit 57/100
Hillhead Runner is a smart performer who has placed on his only run here and shown useful form at this trip. He has been competitive on good ground without winning, placing four times from eight starts, and the yard’s 25% strike rate at Downpatrick with an A/E of 0.92 from 44 runs offers encouragement. Alan O’Sullivan is still seeking his first success at the track from nine rides. The six-year-old ran third here on his sole visit and his recent form of F328-9 suggests he remains capable of a bold show if the good ground suits.
The rest of the field
Rockstown GirlKTB Fit 56/100
Rockstown Girl is a smart performer who arrives in decent nick after a placed effort last time and boasts a win at today's trip. She drops back in distance having last run over further while the good ground looks no problem on her record with a win and two places from eight starts. The trainer's modest 3% strike rate at Downpatrick with an A/E of 0.48 from 30 runs is a negative but the claiming jockey has a solid 18% strike rate here with an A/E of 1.43 from 34 rides.
Radar AheadKTB Fit 55/100
Radar Ahead is a smart performer who has won over today's trip and holds a solid record on good ground with a win and five places from eight starts. He steps up from 1m4f today while making a first appearance at Downpatrick where the trainer operates at an 8% strike rate with an A/E of 0.9 from 192 runs. The 7lb claimer is still seeking a first course winner from 18 rides.
Long GoneKTB Fit 55/100
Long Gone is a smart performer who has run well enough at this track before but was pulled up on his final start last season. He steps up in trip today having shown his best form at shorter and has only been placed once from six runs on good ground. The trainer and jockey both have modest records here with the yard at 8% strike rate with an A/E of 0.82 from 195 runs.
Miss LiaKTB Fit 49/100
Miss Lia is a useful mare who has placed twice in three runs at Downpatrick including a second on her latest visit here. She drops back in trip today having been well held over further last time and her record on good ground is modest with no placed efforts from five starts. The trainer’s modest 7% strike rate at the track with an A/E of 0.73 from 603 runs is offset by the jockey’s solid 16% record from 25 rides with an A/E of 1.7.
Gangster GrannyKTB Fit 48/100
Gangster Granny is a useful performer who has won over course and distance and boasts a solid record on good ground with three wins from eight starts. She drops back in trip today after her last run over two and a half miles though she has been beaten both previous starts at this distance. The trainer has a modest 7% strike rate here from a large sample while the jockey is still seeking his first winner from 42 rides at Downpatrick.
Wild MandateKTB Fit 47/100
Wild Mandate is a useful performer who has been placed three times from seven starts at this trip and three times from eight runs on good ground. He drops back in trip from 2m5f today having been well held on his last two starts. The trainer holds a solid 13% strike rate at Downpatrick from 236 runs with an A/E of 1.02 while the jockey is 8% from 59 rides here with an A/E of 0.88.
LayendaKTB Fit 44/100
Layenda showed useful ability when third over this trip on her only run here at Downpatrick last time. That run came off the back of three modest efforts and a pulled-up run, though she has a solid enough career rating to suggest she can be competitive again. The trainer has a 13% strike-rate at the track with an A/E of 0.77 from 47 runs while the 7lb claimer has had too few rides here to judge.
You Make Me SmileKTB Fit 43/100
You Make Me Smile is a useful performer who ran well when third over course and distance on his latest start. He has a solid strike rate at this trip and has won on good ground, though his record on this track reads just one placed effort from a single run. The trainer has a respectable 12% strike rate here from a big sample with an A/E of 0.79 from 145 runs but the jockey is still seeking a first Downpatrick winner from 22 rides.
Midnight EagleKTB Fit 38/100
Midnight Eagle is a useful performer who showed a bit more spark when third on return at this trip last time. He has a win and a placing on good ground from limited tries but is 0-8 at the trip overall and has been beaten a long way on his last few completed starts. The trainer has yet to strike at Downpatrick from 47 attempts while the 3lb claimer has a modest 9% strike rate here with an A/E of 0.78 from 35 rides.
KTB verdict
Tir Og is the KTB Selection. A smart performer who won on his only previous visit to Downpatrick, he drops back in trip with first-time headgear applied and is backed by strong trainer and jockey course stats at the venue. While he has shown little in two starts this season the local record and the headgear could combine to bring about a revival. She's A Fine Wine looks the main danger having arrived in form after a recent victory with a win at this trip and a strong record on good ground. Hasten Slowly, Miss Manzor and Hillhead Runner are the other principals who can feature, with the latter having already shown his liking for the track.
KTB Selection Tir Og
This is the narrative read of the 2:50 Downpatrick. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Downpatrick racecard. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horse has won on its only previous visit to Downpatrick?
Tir Og won here on his only previous visit to Downpatrick.
Which runner is making a first appearance at Downpatrick?
She's A Fine Wine is making her first run at the track.
Who has the strongest trainer strike rate at Downpatrick among the principals?
Tir Og's trainer has a 33% strike rate at Downpatrick with an A/E of 1.92 from three runs.
Which horses are wearing first-time headgear?
Tir Og and Hasten Slowly are both wearing first-time headgear.
Which runner has course and distance winning form?
Gangster Granny has won over course and distance.
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