4:00 Limerick
The 4:00 at Limerick is the Boyle Sports JT McNamara Munster National Handicap Steeplechase, a Grade 3 Class 1 contest over three miles on yielding ground with an 18-runner field. Several high-class performers line up, many with strong course connections at Limerick and solid recent form. The KTB Fit ratings identify Uhavemeinstitches, Stumptown, Prophet's Corner, Kings Hill and Bossofthebrownies as the principals, while the overall numbers point to a competitive renewal where course form, trip suitability and ground preference will be key.
How the race shapes up
The pace shape is a lone leader with high confidence, suggesting one horse will secure an uncontested lead that could prove difficult for closers to reel in over the three-mile trip. Stumptown is the most likely to take that role given his front-running style, while Prophet's Corner tends to race prominently and could sit close. The majority of the field, including the selection Uhavemeinstitches, prefer to be held up and produce their effort late, so the key question is whether the uncontested leader can be pegged back or if the race will be won from the front.
The KTB Fit ranking
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1Uhavemeinstitches KTB Selection69/100
Uhavemeinstitches is a high-class performer who has already won twice at Limerick including over this trip. He drops back to 3m today after his last run over slightly further and brings strong recent form plus solid placed efforts on yielding ground. The trainer records a steady 11% strike rate here from 64 runs while Cobden is aboard and boasts a 50% strike rate at Limerick from just two rides. Usually held up and producing his effort late, he looks ideally placed to strike if the uncontested leader comes back to the field. His recent form figures of 33U1P- underline his competitiveness at this level and he carries an official rating of 131.
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2Stumptown64/100
Stumptown is a high-class performer with strong course connections having won his only start here. He has won three of four starts at this trip though he drops back from 3m5f last time out. The yard posts a 12% strike-rate at Limerick while Donoghue is aboard. Tending to make the running or race on the pace, he is the obvious candidate to secure the uncontested lead that the pace shape suggests will be hard to peg back. Stepping up in class, he arrives with an official rating of 149 and recent form figures of 1P/14- that still carry plenty of weight.
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3Prophet's Corner63/100
Prophet's Corner is a high-class performer who won over this trip at Limerick last year and has strong course connections overall. He drops back to 3m today after a fall on his latest start and brings solid recent form into the race. The trainer records a 10% strike-rate here from 10 runs. Usually racing handily on or close to the lead, he could track the likely lone leader and pounce if that horse falters. Unproven on yielding ground, he carries an official rating of 121 with recent form figures of 7861F-.
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4Kings Hill63/100
Kings Hill is a high-class performer with a solid recent record and strong course connections here. He has already won at Limerick from a single visit and is competitive on yielding ground even if he has yet to score on it. The trainer's modest 4% strike-rate at the track is a negative while the horse himself remains unproven at three miles. Usually held up and producing his effort late, he will be looking to come from off the pace in a race where the leader may get first run. His recent form figures of 13-21P and official rating of 135 still demand respect.
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5Bossofthebrownies62/100
Bossofthebrownies is a high-class performer with a solid record in big races and strong ratings to back him up. He drops back to a trip he has won at before though he is unproven on yielding ground and makes his first start at Limerick. The trainer has a respectable 12% strike rate here from a big sample. Usually held up and producing his effort late with medium confidence, he will need to find a way to close on the uncontested leader. Carrying an official rating of 139 with recent form figures of /1332-, he remains a major player on his best days.
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6French Dynamite61/100
French Dynamite is a high-class performer with a solid record at this trip and on yielding ground. He has won both starts at Limerick and arrives off a respectable recent sequence that includes placed efforts in strong company. The trainer's modest 10% strike-rate at the track is offset by the horse's own strong course connections and high data confidence.
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7Will Do60/100
Will Do is a high-class performer who has been out of form for some time with three pulled-ups before a modest third last time. He steps up to this trip having been placed at it without winning and has shown ability on yielding ground with a win and three places from five runs. The trainer has a solid 15% strike rate at Limerick from a large sample while the jockey is unproven at the track.
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8Iceberg Theory60/100
Iceberg Theory is a high-class performer who won here over fences last season and has the form to be competitive at this level. He drops back to 3m today having failed to land a blow in two previous attempts at the trip. The trainer operates at a 14% strike rate from 470 runs at Limerick while the jockey is 0-9 at the track.
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9Positive Thinker59/100
Positive Thinker is a smart performer who has won over this trip and on this ground. He has course-winning form at Limerick and showed some ability in stronger races earlier in his career though his recent form is poor. The trainer has a modest record here but the horse's own strong course and distance profile still counts for plenty.
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10Weveallbeencaught58/100
Weveallbeencaught is a high-class performer who has been placed at this track and has a win at today's trip on his record. He has been below par since finishing second here last season and failed to complete last time out over a longer distance. The trainer has a solid 10% strike-rate at Limerick while the jockey has ridden 15 winners from 79 rides here.
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11Look To The West58/100
Look To The West is a high-class performer with a solid recent win and strong course connections at Limerick where he is one from one. He has shown ability on yielding ground with one win and a placing from two runs but his sole attempt at this trip brought no success. The trainer's modest 10 percent strike rate from a large sample at the track is worth noting.
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12Hermino AA58/100
Hermino AA is a high-class performer with strong ratings and a solid race history that includes a win at this trip from nine attempts. He steps up from 2m5f today while having shown no win or place from two previous runs on yielding ground. The trainer holds a 10% strike rate at Limerick from a large sample while this is the horse's first run at the track.
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13Mint Boy56/100
Mint Boy is a high-class performer with strong ratings and a solid race history behind him. He steps up to 3m today having already won at the trip, though he was only placed once from two runs on yielding ground last time out. The trainer records a 12% strike rate at Limerick from 311 runs while this is the horse's first appearance at the track.
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14Meet And Greet54/100
Meet And Greet is a high-class performer with strong course connections and a win here from two starts. He has placed twice at today's trip without winning and is competitive on yielding ground though still without a victory on it. He steps up from 2m6f today which asks a fresh question at the age of ten.
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15Littlefoot53/100
Littlefoot is a high-class performer with strong ratings and race history behind him, though his recent form of 5-1PU9 suggests he has been struggling to fire. He has placed here at Limerick before and has shown he can be competitive on yielding ground, while the step up to 3m poses a fresh question having failed to win in one previous attempt at the trip. The trainer holds an 11% strike rate from 35 runs at this track.
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16Sportinthepark53/100
Sportinthepark is a high-class performer with solid ratings and a strong recent history that suggests he will handle this step up in trip. He showed his only previous try at this distance was not a success, though he has won on yielding ground from a small sample. The trainer has a 15% strike rate from 390 runs at Limerick while this is the horse's first run at the track.
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17Anyway50/100
Anyway is high-class on his best days and comes here off a recent win after a patchy run of form. He has never won or placed on yielding ground from four attempts and steps up sharply in trip having failed to make an impact at this distance before. The yard has a 0% strike rate from 42 runs at Limerick.
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18A Wave Of The Sea47/100
A Wave Of The Sea is a high-class performer with strong ratings and race history behind him. He has placed three times from three runs at Limerick including a second, though the yard's 4% strike-rate from 28 runs at the track is modest. Stepping up markedly in trip from 1m4f is a fresh question today while his yielding-ground record reads two wins and five places from 16 starts.
KTB verdict
Uhavemeinstitches stands out as the KTB Selection. A high-class performer who has already won twice at Limerick including over this trip, he drops back to 3m after his last run over slightly further and brings strong recent form plus solid placed efforts on yielding ground. The trainer's steady record here and Cobden's excellent strike rate at the track add to the appeal for a horse who is usually held up and can deliver late. Stumptown, likely to secure the uncontested lead, and Prophet's Corner, who won over the trip here last year, are the most obvious dangers, while Kings Hill and Bossofthebrownies also have strong claims on their best days.
KTB Selection Uhavemeinstitches
This is the narrative read of the 4:00 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 most likely to take the uncontested lead?
Stumptown, as he tends to make the running or race on the pace and the pace shape indicates a lone leader with high confidence.
How many runners in the field have previously won at Limerick?
Multiple runners have won at Limerick, including Uhavemeinstitches (two wins), Stumptown, Prophet's Corner, Kings Hill, French Dynamite, Iceberg Theory, Positive Thinker, Look To The West and Meet And Greet.
Which of the principals is unproven on yielding ground?
Prophet's Corner and Bossofthebrownies are both unproven on yielding ground.
Which horse has the best jockey course record at Limerick among those with available data?
Harry Cobden has a 50% strike rate at Limerick from two rides when riding Uhavemeinstitches.
How many of the field are stepping up in trip for this race?
Several including Hermino AA stepping up from 2m5f, Meet And Greet from 2m6f, Anyway stepping up sharply, and A Wave Of The Sea stepping up markedly from 1m4f.
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