3:40 Curragh
The 3:40 Curragh sees a competitive 15-runner field line up for the Snow Fairy Fillies Stakes, a Group 3 contest over 1m1f on good ground. This Class 1 affair features several useful performers with placed form or wins at the track, though the KTB Fit Scores suggest a race without a standout at the very top end. The numbers point to a tactical contest where course experience, adaptability to the trip and proven ability on good ground will be key.
How the race shapes up
The pace shape lacks an obvious leader, pointing to a steadily-run, tactical affair in which being handy should pay. Most of the field, including all five principals, are held-up types who produce their effort late, so the race is likely to develop into a sprint for the line from around the two-furlong marker. The key question will be whether those coming from off the pace can pick up quickly enough in a race that may not truly test stamina.
The KTB Fit ranking
- 1Meriden KTB Selection66/100Useful performer with a strong recent record of six wins from seven starts.
- 2Faiyum63/100Smart performer who has finished in the first three on all but one of his six starts and placed on his only previous run here.
- 3Bosphorus Rose60/100Useful performer who has won three times on good ground from just six attempts and arrives in decent form having won last time out.
- 4Thalara56/100Useful performer who has been consistent without winning often, finishing in the first three on three of her last four starts.
- 5Syzygy55/100Useful performer who has won two of three starts here and arrives in solid recent form.
- 6Drop Dead Gorgeous55/100Useful performer who has shown mixed form in five starts, landing a win but finishing down the field in stronger company on her last two outings.
- 7Princess Child53/100Useful performer who has run well at this track on a couple of occasions without winning.
- 8Pivotal Attack53/100Pivotal Attack is a useful performer who has shown his best form when placed at this track and arrives in decent nick after a recent win.
- 9Miss Scott53/100Useful performer who has shown consistent form, winning once and finishing in the first three in all four starts.
- 10Saga Gaga53/100Useful performer who has won two of her four starts including at this trip.
- 11Sindria50/100Useful performer who has run three times here without placing.
- 12Sky Watch49/100Sky Watch is a useful 3-year-old with solid recent form including a win and two placed efforts from five starts.
- 13Della Pace48/100Useful performer who has been consistent without winning this year, finishing in the first four on three of her last four starts.
- 14Garden Party46/100Fair performer who has shown steady progress with two runner-up finishes from three starts.
- 15Spicy Margarita43/100Useful performer who has been a regular at this track without ever winning or placing in seven runs here.
The contenders
Meriden KTB Fit 66/100
Meriden arrives with an excellent recent record, recording six wins from her last seven starts. The three-year-old has already won two of her three starts at the Curragh and is two from two on good ground, so the conditions look ideal. She is usually held up and produces her effort late, a run-style that should suit the expected tactical nature of the race. Denis Gerard Hogan's 6% strike rate at the Curragh and Chris Hayes's 7% record at the track are both modest, yet the pair combine with a solid 9/58 (16%) record and an A/E of 1.52. The step up in trip for the first time in a while asks a fresh question of this useful performer.
Faiyum KTB Fit 63/100
Faiyum is a smart performer who has finished in the first three on all but one of his six starts and was placed on his only previous run at the Curragh. Dropping back in trip today looks a sensible move given his record at this distance and he has already shown he handles the ground. Usually held up and producing his effort late, he should be suited by the steadily-run affair that is anticipated. G M Lyons has a modest 9% strike rate at the Curragh from 1431 runs while Colin Keane's 13% record from 1234 rides is respectable. The trainer and jockey together show 695/3518 (20%) with an A/E of 0.93.
Bosphorus Rose KTB Fit 60/100
Bosphorus Rose is a useful performer who has won three times on good ground from just six attempts and arrives in decent form having won last time out. She drops back in trip today to 1m1f which is an untried distance and poses a fresh question. The four-year-old is usually held up, producing her effort late, which fits the shape of a race likely to be run at a steady tempo. P Twomey has an 18% strike rate at the Curragh from 185 runs and teams up with W J Lee, who has a 9% record from 1493 rides at the track. Together they have a 178/653 (27%) strike rate with an A/E of 1.03.
Thalara KTB Fit 56/100
Thalara is a useful performer who has been consistent without winning often, finishing in the first three on three of her last four starts. She has course experience here with a placed effort and goes well on good ground where she has two wins from five runs. Dropping back in trip today to a distance at which she has already won once is a positive. The six-year-old is usually held up and produces her effort late. Henry De Bromhead has a modest 2% strike rate at the Curragh from 131 runs while Andrew Slattery's 7% record from 360 rides is respectable; together they are 1/18 (6%) with an A/E of 0.82.
Syzygy KTB Fit 55/100
Syzygy is a useful performer who has won two of three starts here and arrives in solid recent form. She steps up to 1m1f for the first time today after racing mainly over a mile, which asks a fresh question. Usually held up and producing her effort late, she should be well positioned for the sprint that is likely to develop. Daniel McLoughlin records a steady 8% strike rate from 53 runs at the Curragh while Ben Coen has a 7% record from 635 rides at the track. The pair combine for 9/78 (12%) with an A/E of 1.01.
The rest of the field
Drop Dead GorgeousKTB Fit 55/100
Drop Dead Gorgeous is a useful performer who has shown mixed form in five starts, landing a win but finishing down the field in stronger company on her last two outings. She has placed once from two runs at the Curragh and steps up in trip today for the first time, which asks a fresh question. Aidan O'Brien has a 19% strike rate here from 4453 runs while Ryan Moore is aboard.
Princess ChildKTB Fit 53/100
Princess Child is a useful performer who has run well at this track on a couple of occasions without winning. Recent form has been patchy and she showed little on good ground last time out over a shorter trip. She steps up in distance today which she has handled before without success.
Pivotal AttackKTB Fit 53/100
Pivotal Attack is a useful performer who has shown his best form when placed at this track and arrives in decent nick after a recent win. He has been well beaten on his three runs on good ground though and steps up in trip for the first time today which asks a fresh question of him. The yard's modest 6% strike rate at Curragh adds a note of caution.
Miss ScottKTB Fit 53/100
Miss Scott is a useful performer who has shown consistent form, winning once and finishing in the first three in all four starts. She drops back in trip today having been placed without winning at this distance last time, which looks a fair question for a horse still not fully exposed. The trainer has only four runs at the Curragh, too small a sample to judge.
Saga GagaKTB Fit 53/100
Saga Gaga is a useful performer who has won two of her four starts including at this trip. She drops back from 1m4f last time which looks a sensible move after she failed to see it out. The trainer's modest 7% strike rate at the Curragh is a negative but the yard knows this track well.
SindriaKTB Fit 50/100
Sindria is a useful performer who has run three times here without placing. She drops back in trip to 1m1f having won at the distance on her only previous attempt, though her recent form has been patchy and she has only placed once from five starts on good ground. The trainer operates at a 12% strike rate from a large sample at Curragh.
Sky WatchKTB Fit 49/100
Sky Watch is a useful 3-year-old with solid recent form including a win and two placed efforts from five starts. He has twice run respectably without placing at this track and steps up in trip today for the first time which asks a fresh question. The trainer operates at a 7% strike rate from 367 runs here.
Della PaceKTB Fit 48/100
Della Pace is a useful performer who has been consistent without winning this year, finishing in the first four on three of her last four starts. She drops back in trip today having looked stretched over 1m2½f last time, though she has already tried this distance once without success. The trainer has a solid 22% strike rate at Curragh from a smallish sample.
Garden PartyKTB Fit 46/100
Garden Party is a fair performer who has shown steady progress with two runner-up finishes from three starts. She drops back in trip today having last run over 1m2½f, which asks a fresh question of him. The trainer has a solid 19% strike rate at Curragh from a huge sample of runners.
Spicy MargaritaKTB Fit 43/100
Spicy Margarita is a useful performer who has been a regular at this track without ever winning or placing in seven runs here. She drops back in trip today having looked stretched over a mile and a half last time, though she has failed to trouble the judge in three previous attempts at this distance. The trainer operates at a 7% strike rate from 60 runs at Curragh.
KTB verdict
Meriden is the KTB Selection. She boasts a strong recent record of six wins from seven starts, has already performed well at the Curragh and is unbeaten on good ground, so the conditions are in her favour. The step up in trip poses a question but her held-up style should suit the steadily-run race that is anticipated. The main dangers are Faiyum, who is smart and well suited by the drop in trip, and Bosphorus Rose, who arrives in form having won last time and has a fine record on good ground.
KTB Selection Meriden
This is the narrative read of the 3:40 Curragh. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Curragh racecard. Every result we hold for the track is on the Curragh results & records page. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horse has the strongest recent winning record?
Meriden, with six wins from her last seven starts.
How many of the principals are held-up types?
All five principals are held up and usually produce their effort late.
Which runner has won two of three starts at the Curragh?
Syzygy and Meriden have both won two from three starts at the Curragh.
Who has the best trainer strike rate at the Curragh among the principals?
P Twomey, with an 18% strike rate from 185 runs.
Which horse is dropping back in trip after failing to stay 1m4f?
Saga Gaga.
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