3:20 Killarney
The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Navigation Stakes is a competitive Listed event over 1m3f50y at Killarney on yielding to soft ground. An 11-runner field of three-year-olds features several useful performers with recent Pattern-race experience, though the KTB Fit Scores are tightly bunched between 60 and 39. The KTB numbers highlight Shaihaan as the selection with a 60 Fit rating, while the race lacks a clear leader and several runners are dropping back in trip or encountering the ground for the first time.
How the race shapes up
With no obvious leader in the field the pace shape points to a steadily-run, tactical contest in which being handy should pay dividends. Most of the principals are held-up types who will be looking to produce their efforts late, though Alphecca is more likely to settle in midfield. The key question is whether the race will develop enough pace for those coming from off the pace to make significant inroads in the straight on this yielding to soft surface.
The KTB Fit ranking
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1Shaihaan KTB Selection60/100
Shaihaan is a useful performer with an official rating of 102 who has mixed form this season, winning a Listed race at Cork in April before failing to land a blow in two Pattern races. He drops back in trip today having looked stretched by 1m4f last time and the ground is a slight concern having failed to show his best on the only previous run with some cut. The colt is usually held up and produces his effort late. Donnacha Aidan O'Brien has a 28% strike rate at Killarney with an A/E of 1.31 from 32 runs while Chris Hayes operates at a 10% strike rate here with an A/E of 0.89 from 334 rides. The trainer and jockey combination shows 7/55 (13%) with an A/E of 0.86 and -£7.97 LSP.
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2Action59/100
Action is a smart performer rated 109 who has been mixing it at a high level all season but has looked out of sorts on his last three starts. He drops back in trip having been stretched over a mile and six last time which asks a fresh question. The colt is usually held up and produces his effort late. Aidan O'Brien has a 22% strike rate at Killarney with an A/E of 0.98 from 502 runs while W. M. Lordan posts a 12% strike rate here with an A/E of 0.86 from 404 rides. The trainer and jockey combination records 235/1543 (15%) with an A/E of 0.85 and -£392.06 LSP. He remains unproven on yielding to soft ground.
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3Magnum Cor56/100
Magnum Cor is a useful performer rated 95 with a solid recent record of two wins from three starts. He drops back in trip today to a distance he has never tried which poses a fresh question while first-time headgear is another unknown. The colt is usually held up and produces his effort late. Joseph Patrick O'Brien has an 18% strike rate at Killarney with an A/E of 0.95 from 457 runs though J M Sheridan operates at a more modest 8% strike rate here with an A/E of 0.92 from 76 rides. The trainer and jockey combination shows 45/259 (17%) with an A/E of 1.06 and +£50.99 LSP. He remains unproven on yielding to soft ground.
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4Alphecca56/100
Alphecca is a useful performer rated 91 who won on his only previous visit to Killarney and has placed on yielding to soft ground. He drops back in trip today having last run over a mile and a half which asks a fresh question of him. The gelding typically settles in midfield. Joseph G Murphy holds a 12% strike rate at Killarney with an A/E of 1.08 from 162 runs while G. F. Carroll has a 7% strike rate here with an A/E of 0.65 from 201 rides. The trainer and jockey combination records 116/1190 (10%) with an A/E of 0.95 and -£125.43 LSP. He has course-and-distance winning form from one visit.
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5Mr Vettori55/100
Mr Vettori is a useful performer rated 98 who has shown strong form this year with a win and two placed efforts from his seven runs. He drops back in trip today having last run over a mile and a half which asks a fresh question of him. The colt is usually held up and produces his effort late. Mrs J. Harrington has a modest 10% strike rate at Killarney with an A/E of 0.65 from 499 runs while Scott McCullagh has a solid 15% strike rate here with an A/E of 1.38 from 27 rides. The trainer and jockey combination shows 23/283 (8%) with an A/E of 0.79 and -£38.51 LSP. He showed little on his one run on yielding to soft ground.
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6Manton Bay53/100
Manton Bay is a useful performer rated 97 who has already won at this track from his only start here and has been in decent form this year with two wins and several placed efforts from nine runs. He is usually held up and produces his effort late, steps up in trip as an unknown and showed little on his one run on similar ground. David Marnane has a 9% strike rate at Killarney with an A/E of 0.8 from 161 runs while W. J. Lee posts an 11% strike rate here with an A/E of 0.82 from 390 rides.
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7Caught U Sleeping52/100
Caught U Sleeping is a useful performer rated 102 who arrives in decent form having finished in the frame on his last three starts. He steps up in trip for the first time today which asks a fresh question while he showed little on his only run on yielding to soft ground. The colt is usually held up and produces his effort late. Noel Meade has an 11% strike rate at Killarney with an A/E of 0.64 from 245 runs and Adam Caffrey is 8% from 25 rides here.
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8Garden Party50/100
Garden Party has shown fair form with two seconds and a win from four starts and looks to have been brought along steadily by connections. The step up from 1m1f to 1m3f today asks a fresh question of him. He is usually held up and produces his effort late and remains unproven on yielding to soft ground. Aidan O'Brien has a 22% strike rate at Killarney with an A/E of 0.98 from 502 runs while Gavin Ryan posts a 13% strike rate here with an A/E of 1 from 96 rides.
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9Back Straight47/100
Back Straight shaped with promise when second on debut and duly improved to win a maiden last time. A fair performer rated 88 who remains lightly raced, he now steps up markedly in trip and class at the same time. He is usually held up and produces his effort late and remains unproven on yielding to soft ground. M D O'Callaghan has an 11% strike rate at Killarney with an A/E of 0.85 from 44 runs while Seamie Heffernan posts a 9% record from 378 rides here.
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10Latin America44/100
Latin America is a useful performer rated 95 who has shown steady progress in three runs this year with form figures of 213. He steps up in trip today which asks a fresh question of him and remains unproven on yielding to soft ground. The colt is usually held up and produces his effort late. J. P. Murtagh has a modest 7% strike rate at Killarney with an A/E of 0.51 from 71 runs while Ben Coen is 3% from 92 rides here.
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11Millhone39/100
Millhone is a modest performer rated 72 with a solid recent record of three placed efforts in the last four starts. He steps up in trip today having been placed both times at this distance without winning while the switch to yielding to soft ground is an unknown. The colt is usually held up and produces his effort late. Charles Weld has no recorded runners at Killarney and Rory Mulligan is 0-9 at the track.
KTB verdict
Shaihaan emerges as the KTB Selection with a Fit Score of 60 in a race where the principals are closely matched on figures. His Listed success at Cork in the spring reads well and the drop back in trip looks a positive move after stretching over further last time, with the powerful O'Brien yard holding a strong record at Killarney. Action brings the highest rating in the field but has been out of sorts recently, while Magnum Cor, Alphecca and Mr Vettori all have solid recent form yet come with their own trip or ground queries. The steadily-run nature of the race should suit those capable of timing their run from off the pace.
KTB Selection Shaihaan
Morning odds
Best available price per runner, captured 00:00 UTC, 5 Oct. These are a morning snapshot and will have moved — see the live racecard for current prices.
| Runner | Morning price | Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|
| Shaihaan | 4/1 | BetTom |
| Action | 5/2 | Bet365 |
| Magnum Cor | 7/2 | Bet365 |
| Alphecca | 25/1 | BetTom |
| Mr Vettori | 12/1 | BetTom |
| Manton Bay | 15/2 | BetTom |
| Caught U Sleeping | 8/1 | BetTom |
| Garden Party | 33/1 | BetTom |
| Back Straight | 18/1 | Bet365 |
| Latin America | 9/1 | LiveScore Bet |
| Millhone | 100/1 | BetTom |
This is the narrative read of the 3:20 Killarney. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Killarney racecard. Every result we hold for the track is on the Killarney results & records page. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horse is dropping back in trip after being stretched at a mile and a half or further on its most recent start?
Shaihaan, Action, Alphecca and Mr Vettori are all dropping back in trip after being stretched over a mile and a half or further last time.
How many principals are unproven on yielding to soft ground?
Action, Magnum Cor and Latin America remain unproven on yielding to soft ground.
Which runner has course winning form at Killarney?
Alphecca won here on his only previous visit while Manton Bay has also won at the track from one start.
Who is the only runner wearing first-time headgear?
Magnum Cor is the sole runner in first-time headgear.
Which horse steps up markedly in both trip and class from a light career start?
Back Straight steps up markedly in trip and class at the same time having won a maiden last time.
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