3:30 Tramore
The Victoria House Tramore Mares Beginners Steeplechase at 2m6f on good ground brings together a field of nine in what looks a competitive heat at this level. The KTB Fit Scores identify Future Prospect as the clear top pick on 66, ahead of Costanuci on 60, Straight Home on 59 and La Note Verte on 52, with the remainder trailing some way behind. W P Mullins saddles three of the four principals, underlining his customary strength at the venue where he boasts a 30% strike rate from 691 runs.
How the race shapes up
The pace shape is a lone leader with high confidence, pointing to one clear front-runner enjoying an uncontested lead that could prove difficult for closers to reel in. La Note Verte is the only front-runner in the line-up and is expected to take up that role from the outset. The remaining eight runners are all held-up types who will be produced late, setting up a race where the key question is whether the leader can dictate and hold on or if the pack can close effectively over the stiff 2m6f trip.
The KTB Fit ranking
- 1Future Prospect KTB Selection66/100High-class performer with a solid recent record of 43-F22 and strong ratings backing.
- 2Costanuci60/100Costanuci is a useful performer with a solid Tramore record including a win from eight starts here.
- 3Straight Home59/100Straight Home has placed on both previous visits to Tramore and returns here off the back of a break.
- 4La Note Verte52/100La Note Verte arrives in good form with two placed efforts this season and has won three times on good ground from just five attempts.
- 5Miss Fourie49/100Miss Fourie has shown little in three runs this year and was well held when sixth on her only previous visit to Tramore.
- 6Carry On Heidi45/100Carry On Heidi has shown consistent placed form in recent starts but remains lightly raced with only eight career runs.
- 7Liss Eile44/100Liss Eile is a fair performer who has been out of form this season with four modest efforts since a pulled-up run in December.
- 8Ellens Pride42/100Ellens Pride won a point but has struggled under rules with a string of modest efforts after an initial fourth.
- 9Kaylasjet42/100Kaylasjet has shown very little in four completed starts and arrives off the back of two pulled-up efforts.
The contenders
Future Prospect KTB Fit 66/100
Future Prospect arrives with strong claims as a high-class performer boasting a solid recent record of 43-F22 and ratings to match. Trained by W P Mullins, who has a 30% strike rate at Tramore from 691 runs, and ridden by Danny Mullins who has a 12% strike rate at the track from 334 rides, the combination looks potent. The six-year-old is competitive on good ground having been placed twice from four starts, though he has only one previous run at Tramore which ended in a fall. Usually held up and producing his effort late, he steps up markedly in trip today while sporting first-time headgear.
Costanuci KTB Fit 60/100
Costanuci is a useful performer with a solid record at Tramore that includes a win from eight starts at the venue. The yard posts a 14% strike rate at the track from 140 runs while the nine-year-old has two wins from nine starts on good ground with another five placed efforts. He has placed twice from four runs at this sort of trip though steps back up in distance having last run over two and a half miles. Usually held up and producing his effort late, he is likely to come from off the pace in a race where the uncontested leader may be hard to peg back.
Straight Home KTB Fit 59/100
Straight Home has placed on both previous visits to Tramore and returns from a break. The nine-year-old drops back from 3m to a trip he has won at before, with two wins from four runs on good ground underlining his effectiveness in these conditions. Trained by W P Mullins who has a 30% strike rate at the track from 691 runs and ridden by Brian Hayes who has a 12% strike rate at Tramore from 309 rides, the yard and rider combination is respected. Usually held up and producing his effort late, he now tries first-time headgear which adds an element of the unknown.
La Note Verte KTB Fit 52/100
La Note Verte comes into the race in good form having posted two placed efforts this season. The six-year-old has won three times on good ground from only five attempts and the trainer W P Mullins holds a 30% strike rate at Tramore from 691 runs. Usually a front-runner who tends to make the running or race prominently, he is set to enjoy the uncontested lead in a race where that could be a significant advantage. This is his first try beyond 1m7½f so the trip is a fresh question, and he makes his debut at the course.
The rest of the field
Miss FourieKTB Fit 49/100
Miss Fourie has shown little in three runs this year and was well held when sixth on her only previous visit to Tramore. She steps up in trip for the first time today which poses a fresh question while the first-time headgear is another unknown, though Gordon Elliott has a 15% strike rate at the track from 510 runs.
Carry On HeidiKTB Fit 45/100
Carry On Heidi has shown consistent placed form in recent starts but remains lightly raced with only eight career runs. The drop back in trip today asks a fresh question while she remains unproven on good ground, and both trainer and jockey have too few runs at Tramore for any meaningful read.
Liss EileKTB Fit 44/100
Liss Eile is a fair performer who has been out of form this season with four modest efforts since a pulled-up run in December. He has shown some ability at Tramore in the past but has failed to win or place in four runs here and holds a similar record on good ground, now stepping up to 2m6f with first-time headgear fitted.
Ellens PrideKTB Fit 42/100
Ellens Pride won a point but has struggled under rules with a string of modest efforts after an initial fourth. She was well held on her only visit to Tramore and the yard's 4% strike rate from 45 runs here offers no encouragement, now fitted with first-time headgear as she drops back in trip to an untested 2m6f.
KaylasjetKTB Fit 42/100
Kaylasjet has shown very little in four completed starts and arrives off the back of two pulled-up efforts. The lightly-raced 5-year-old steps up markedly in trip today while wearing first-time headgear, both unknowns, and trainer M O Quigley has a modest 4% strike rate from 24 runs at Tramore.
KTB verdict
Future Prospect looks the one to beat on the strength of his high-class ability and solid recent record. The Mullins runner has the ratings to cope with this level, handles good ground and is expected to be produced with his customary late run. The main dangers are likely to be La Note Verte if the uncontested lead proves decisive, and Straight Home who has placed both times at the track and drops to a suitable trip, with Costanuci also respected on his local record.
KTB Selection Future Prospect
This is the narrative read of the 3:30 Tramore. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Tramore racecard. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horse is expected to take the uncontested lead?
La Note Verte is the only front-runner in the field and is set to make the running.
How many of the principals are trained by W P Mullins?
Three of the four principals are trained by W P Mullins.
Which horse is stepping up markedly in trip while wearing first-time headgear?
Future Prospect is stepping up markedly in trip today with first-time headgear.
Which runner has won at Tramore from eight starts at the track?
Costanuci has a win from eight starts at Tramore.
How many principals are wearing first-time headgear?
Two principals, Future Prospect and Straight Home, are wearing first-time headgear.
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