2:55 Limerick
The Master Chefs Novice Hurdle at Limerick is a Class 1 Listed event over 2m5f70y on yielding ground, featuring a compact but competitive field of seven. The KTB Fit Scores identify Luck Between Us as the top-rated contender on 63, with Tinto De Verano and Emerald Enigma both on 57 and Pets Georgina on 52, indicating a race where the principals hold clear edges on the numbers. Recent form is strong across the leading quartet, though questions of trip, ground and track familiarity will shape the outcome.
How the race shapes up
The pace shape points to a lone leader with high confidence, and Dallas Star is the only front-runner in the field, suggesting he will be allowed an uncontested lead. The other six runners are all held-up types who produce their effort late, which sets up a race where the leader could prove hard to reel in on this yielding surface. The key question is whether the closers, including the three highest-rated principals, can bridge the gap in the straight or whether the uncontested pace will hand the advantage to the one up front.
The KTB Fit ranking
-
1Luck Between Us KTB Selection63/100
Luck Between Us tops the KTB Fit ratings on 63 and is the selection. High-class on the figures with a strong recent record of 7-1211 this season, he steps up in trip today having already placed over this distance once. The six-year-old is unproven on yielding ground and showed little on his sole visit to Limerick when seventh. Trainer Donncha Duggan strikes at just 4% here from 47 runs with an A/E of 1.05 while jockey Niall Moore is 2% from 58 rides at the track with an A/E of 0.2; their combined record reads 3/14 (21%) with an A/E of 3.98 and +£37.00 LSP. Usually held up and producing his effort late, he will need to time his run perfectly if the lone leader is allowed to get away.
-
2Tinto De Verano57/100
Tinto De Verano is rated 57 on KTB Fit and is a high-class performer who arrives in strong form after a win on his most recent start. He drops back in trip to 2m5f today, which poses a fresh question having been placed once over this distance. The six-year-old is competitive on yielding ground without a win from two runs and has no course form on record. Trainer Yvonne Latta has a 0% strike rate at Limerick from four runs while jockey Cian Quirke operates at an 11% strike rate from 89 rides here with an A/E of 1.17; their combined record is 2/6 (33%). Usually held up and producing his effort late with high confidence in that style, he will be aiming to come from off the pace set by the lone leader.
-
3Emerald Enigma57/100
Emerald Enigma shares a KTB Fit rating of 57 and has shown smart form in four runs this year with three wins including one at today's trip. The six-year-old is proven on yielding ground with one win from one run and one placed effort. Not fully exposed yet, the recent form of 1-131 reads strongly. Trainer W. P. Mullins strikes at 29% at Limerick with an A/E of 0.95 from 770 runs while jockey Paul Townend is 26% from 281 rides here with an A/E of 1.02; their combined record is 1217/3927 (31%) with an A/E of 0.95 and -£353.83 LSP. Usually held up and producing his effort late, he is well placed to challenge if the uncontested lead collapses late.
-
4Pets Georgina52/100
Pets Georgina is rated 52 on KTB Fit and is a smart performer who arrives in solid form having won two of her last four starts with form figures of U21143. She has already shown up well at this track despite finishing seventh on her only visit. The six-year-old drops back in trip today with no experience of yielding ground which adds an element of uncertainty. Trainer John Patrick Ryan has a 7% strike rate at Limerick with an A/E of 0.86 from 279 runs while jockey Daniel King is 11% from 131 rides here with an A/E of 1.01; their combined record is 17/244 (7%) with an A/E of 0.71 and -£103.43 LSP. Usually held up and producing her effort late, she will need to find plenty if the leader gets first run.
-
5Gangster Granny51/100
Gangster Granny is rated 51 on KTB Fit and is a smart performer who has won at this track and arrives in solid recent form with figures of 152114. The five-year-old has struggled on yielding ground in five previous attempts with no win or place and was well held when tried at this trip last time. Trainer C A McBratney and jockey Sean Flanagan both have modest strike rates here with respective figures of 10% (A/E 1.12) and 9% (A/E 0.84); their combined record is 7/103 (7%) with an A/E of 1.11 and -£7.50 LSP. Usually held up with high confidence in that style.
-
6Dallas Star44/100
Dallas Star arrives off the back of a recent win but steps up in trip having failed to trouble the judge in two previous tries at this distance. The five-year-old has no experience on yielding ground which adds an unknown and this will be his first run at the track. Trainer Emmet Mullins has a solid 20% strike rate at Limerick with an A/E of 0.84 from 41 runs while jockey Mark Walsh is 14% from 273 rides here with an A/E of 0.85; their combined record is 2/34 (6%) with an A/E of 0.26 and -£27.00 LSP. The only front-runner, he is set to make the running in an uncontested lead.
-
7Tountinna42/100
Tountinna is a smart performer who looked the part when winning a maiden at this track last season. The five-year-old has not built on that in two starts since and was well held on return at Cork with form figures of 4841-0. He steps up markedly in trip today which asks a fresh question while the yard has yet to strike at Limerick from five runners with a 0% strike rate and A/E of 0. Proven on yielding ground with one win from two runs and two placed efforts. Jockey Darragh O'Keeffe is 8% from 245 rides here with an A/E of 0.59. Usually held up with high confidence in that style.
KTB verdict
Luck Between Us is the KTB Selection. High-class on the figures with a strong recent record, he has already placed over this distance and the combination of ability and late kick gives him every chance if the yielding ground is not an issue. The main dangers are Emerald Enigma, who brings three wins from four runs this year including at the trip and is proven on the ground from a top yard, and Tinto De Verano, who arrives in strong form after a recent win and is competitive on yielding. Pets Georgina cannot be ruled out if she handles the surface, while the uncontested lead for Dallas Star could make him dangerous if the closers fail to get there in time.
KTB Selection Luck Between Us
Morning odds
Best available price per runner, captured 00:20 UTC, 17 Oct. These are a morning snapshot and will have moved — see the live racecard for current prices.
| Runner | Morning price | Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|
| Luck Between Us | 4/1 | BetTom |
| Tinto De Verano | 7/2 | Bet Victor |
| Emerald Enigma | 11/4 | BetTom |
| Pets Georgina | 25/1 | Bet Victor |
| Gangster Granny | 18/1 | Bet Victor |
| Dallas Star | 2/1 | Bet365 |
| Tountinna | 18/1 | Bet365 |
This is the narrative read of the 2:55 Limerick. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Limerick racecard. Every result we hold for the track is on the Limerick results & records page. How favourites, trainers, jockeys and the draw have fared here over the last five years is on the Limerick racecourse statistics page. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horse is proven on yielding ground among the top three in the KTB Fit ratings?
Emerald Enigma is proven on yielding ground with one win from one run and one placed effort, while Tinto De Verano is competitive without a win from two runs and Luck Between Us is unproven.
Who is the only front-runner in the field and what does the pace shape suggest?
Dallas Star is the only front-runner and the pace shape of lone leader with high confidence suggests he will be allowed an uncontested lead that can be hard for closers to peg back.
Which of the principals has course form at Limerick?
Luck Between Us and Pets Georgina have both run once at Limerick, finishing seventh with no win or place, while Tinto De Verano and Emerald Enigma have no course form.
What is the combined trainer-jockey record at Limerick for the connections of the KTB Selection?
Trainer Donncha Duggan and jockey Niall Moore have a combined record of 3/14 (21%) with an A/E of 3.98 and +£37.00 LSP at Limerick.
Which horse has won at this track and what are its concerns on the ground?
Gangster Granny has won at this track from two runs but has struggled on yielding ground in five previous attempts with no win or place.
18+. Analysis and entertainment only — no guarantee of profit. KTB race previews are published for interest and are not betting advice. Only ever stake what you can comfortably afford to lose, and set your own limits. Free, confidential help: the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 (GamCare.org.uk); in Ireland, the GamblingCare.ie helpline on 1800 936 725. Self-exclude at any time via GAMSTOP.
About the A/E figures in this preview. They are the data supplier’s: the winners a trainer or jockey had, divided by the winners the starting prices implied, over the runs in that record. Above 1.0 means more wins than the prices suggested. It is not KTB’s fair A/E, which allows for the bookmakers’ margin and the favourite–longshot bias, and the two are not comparable.
More from Kickthebookies