3:40 Wexford
The 3:40 at Wexford is a 2m4f90y maiden hurdle run on soft ground with an eleven-runner field featuring several lightly raced types and debutants. The KTB Fit scores are tightly bunched at the top, headed by Huntin Boots on 58, with El Bilo close behind on 55 and the rest ranging from 51 down to 41. This points to an open-looking heat in which experience, stamina and the ability to handle the testing surface are likely to prove decisive.
How the race shapes up
The pace shape is a lone leader with medium confidence, suggesting one horse will secure an uncontested lead that could prove difficult for closers to bridge in the testing conditions. Square Necker is the most likely to take up that role from the front, while Huntin Boots is expected to race prominently and track that pace. Several others including El Bilo and Parisian Dream prefer to be held up, which sets up a key question of whether any of the closers can muster the necessary stamina and finishing effort on this soft ground to reel in an uncontested leader.
The KTB Fit ranking
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1Huntin Boots KTB Selection58/100
Huntin Boots has shown fair placed form in two starts over shorter trips and now steps up to 2m4f as a fresh question. The half-brother to a triple winner comes from a family that has produced winners but remains lightly raced with only two career runs. Both trainer and jockey record 13-14% strike rates at Wexford that sit in line with their overall figures. Gordon Elliott and Jack Kennedy team up with a 19% record from 3473 runs together. The horse usually races handily, on or close to the lead, which should see it well placed to track the expected lone leader. It remains unproven on soft ground and has no course form on record.
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2El Bilo55/100
El Bilo showed little on debut when finishing eighth over two miles. The trip is stepped up today which asks a fresh question of this lightly raced 4-year-old. Trainer Paul Nolan has a 14% strike rate at Wexford from 334 runs which is above their 9% at other courses while Jordan Gainford matches that 14% figure here from 109 rides. The yard and jockey combine with a 12% record from 91 runs. It usually races held up and produces its effort late, though that is based on limited evidence with low confidence. The colt is unproven on soft ground and has no course form on record.
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3Whelkeen View51/100
Whelkeen View is a debutant with no racecourse form to go on. The yard has a 14% strike rate at Wexford from 334 runs, above its 9% at other tracks, while Sean Flanagan posts a 12% strike rate here from 251 rides, also above his 8% elsewhere. Trainer and jockey team up with a 13% record from 183 runs. With low data confidence the assessment rests mainly on pedigree and sales background. It has no going data available and no course win on record.
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4Parisian Dream50/100
Parisian Dream showed little on debut when finishing ninth and has been given a break since. The step up in trip today asks a fresh question while the soft ground remains unknown with only one run on the board. Trainer at Wexford has a 14% strike rate from 66 runs in line with their record elsewhere and jockey at Wexford has a 20% strike rate from five rides. The yard and jockey combine with a modest 5% record from 82 runs. It usually races held up and produces its effort late, though that is based on limited evidence with low confidence. It has no course form on record.
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5Square Necker50/100
Square Necker brings some pedigree interest as a half-brother to Group 3 winner Presage Nocturne and from a dam who has produced four winners from five runners to race. He has won on soft ground from his sole start on it but steps up markedly in trip today from 1m6f, which remains an open question. Trainer Emmet Mullins operates at a 15% strike rate here from 26 runs in line with his overall record while jockey Donagh Meyler is 7% from 148 rides at Wexford in line with his wider figure. The yard and jockey combine with a 15% record from 257 runs. It tends to make the running or race on the pace, which should see it to the fore in what is expected to be an uncontested lead. It has no course form on record.
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6Coffeemorninggirls48/100
Coffeemorninggirls is a debutant with no racecourse experience. The trainer holds a 14% strike rate at Wexford from 334 runs, above their 9% at other tracks. The 5 lb claimer has a 9% strike rate here from 33 rides, in line with his overall figure. It has no going data available and no course win on record.
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7Well Friend48/100
Well Friend is a full sister to Grade 2 winner Thedeviluno and comes from a dam that has already produced another winner. The yard has a 14% strike rate at Wexford from 334 runs, above their 9% elsewhere, while Sean O'Keeffe posts an 11% strike rate here from 210 rides, also above his 7% at other tracks. With no racecourse form and low data confidence the rest remains unknown. It has no course win on record.
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8Reilly's Pocket47/100
Reilly's Pocket is a debutant whose pedigree offers some encouragement as a half-brother to Grade 3 winner Shantreusse out of a dam who has already produced four winners from seven runners. The yard holds a 14% strike rate at Wexford from 334 runs, which sits above their 9% at other tracks. First-time headgear is applied and the 7 lb claimer is 0-17 at the course. It has no going data available and no course win on record.
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9Ballyhoura42/100
Ballyhoura is a newcomer with no racecourse experience. The dam has had one previous runner that failed to win, while the horse carries the yard's modest record at Wexford which sits in line with their overall strike rate. Jockey Tiernan Power Roche also shows a 5% strike rate at the track in line with his record elsewhere. It has no course win on record.
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10Vango At Dawn42/100
Vango At Dawn is a debutant with a modest pedigree link as half-brother to useful chaser Ira Hayes and out of a dam who has already produced one winner. The yard has sent out no winners from nine runners at Wexford while the jockey's 10 percent strike rate here sits above his overall figure. With no racecourse form and low data confidence the colt's level remains entirely unknown. It has no course win on record.
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11Misterous Flechois41/100
Misterous Flechois has shown little in two bumper runs this year and remains a maiden with an official rating yet to be published. The step up from 2m1f to 2m4f on soft ground is a fresh question while the small sample means going suitability is unknown. Trainer and jockey both record strike rates at Wexford that sit in line with their figures at other tracks. It typically settles in midfield and has no course form on record.
KTB verdict
Huntin Boots is the KTB Selection. It has shown fair placed form in two starts over shorter trips and now steps up in distance as a lightly raced sort from a yard and jockey combination that know their way around Wexford. The prominent run style should allow it to track the expected uncontested leader, with its pedigree offering encouragement for the new trip. The main dangers are Square Necker, whose pedigree and soft-ground win make it interesting if the front-running role plays to its strengths, and El Bilo, who can improve for the step up in trip despite a modest debut.
KTB Selection Huntin Boots
Early prices
The best price per runner across the bookmakers we track, each as first seen (UK time). Every runner had a price by 1:03am, 25 Oct. Prices move — see the live racecard for current prices.
| Runner | Early price | Bookmaker, time |
|---|---|---|
| Huntin Boots | 3/1 | Bet Victor, 1:03am |
| El Bilo | 50/1 | Bet Victor, 1:03am |
| Whelkeen View | 8/1 | Bet Victor, 1:03am |
| Parisian Dream | 100/1 | Bet365, 1:03am |
| Square Necker | 4/6 | Bet365, 1:03am |
| Coffeemorninggirls | 40/1 | Bet Victor, 1:03am |
| Well Friend | 13/2 | Bet365, 1:03am |
| Reilly's Pocket | 40/1 | BetTom, 1:03am |
| Ballyhoura | 20/1 | BetTom, 1:03am |
| Vango At Dawn | 50/1 | Bet365, 1:03am |
| Misterous Flechois | 200/1 | Bet Victor, 1:03am |
This is the narrative read of the 3:40 Wexford. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Wexford racecard. Every result we hold for the track is on the Wexford results & records page. How favourites, trainers, jockeys and the draw have fared here over the last five years is on the Wexford racecourse statistics page. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horse is likely to secure the uncontested lead?
Square Necker is the most likely to take up the lone-leader role given its front-running style.
How many runs has Huntin Boots had and what is its recent form?
Huntin Boots has had two career runs with recent form figures of 25-.
What is the pedigree interest for Square Necker?
Square Necker is a half-brother to Group 3 winner Presage Nocturne and from a dam who has produced four winners from five runners to race.
Which runners are making their racecourse debut?
Whelkeen View, Coffeemorninggirls, Well Friend, Reilly's Pocket, Ballyhoura and Vango At Dawn are all debutants.
What headgear is being worn for the first time and by which horse?
First-time headgear is applied to Reilly's Pocket.
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