4:00 Worcester
This Class 4 handicap hurdle over 2m at Worcester on good to soft ground brings together eight runners, several of whom arrive with similar official ratings in the 106-109 range. The KTB Fit Scores are tightly bunched at the top, headed by Mister des Places on 62, with Leaumec de Mee, Limier d'Arthel and Jerseygeordie all closely behind. Overall the numbers point to a competitive renewal where unproven elements around trip, ground and course will play a significant part.
How the race shapes up
The pace shape is muddling and tactical with no obvious front-runner, which should suit those able to race close to the pace. Several runners, including Jerseygeordie, Longmoor and Savant du Mesnil, tend to race prominently or handy, while Leaumec de Mee, Limier d'Arthel and Diamond Jim typically settle in midfield. Gaelic Saint is the one likely to be held up off the pace. The key question is which horse can best handle the tactical nature of the race and produce its effort at the right time over this untested 2m trip for many.
The KTB Fit ranking
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1Mister des Places KTB Selection62/100
Mister des Places is a smart performer who showed useful ability when winning on debut last year before mixing it in stronger company. He now drops back to an untested 2m today which asks a fresh question of him. The Olly Murphy and Sean Bowen combination carries plenty of weight here, with the trainer recording a 22% strike rate at Worcester from 169 runs and the jockey a 23% strike rate from 462 rides. Both hold solid Worcester records according to the figures shown. He has no experience of good to soft ground and no course form on record. His recent form reads 1FP2-3 and he carries an official rating of 109.
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2Leaumec de Mee58/100
Leaumec de Mee is a smart performer who showed useful form when winning a bumper and finishing second on hurdling debut over this trip. Dropping back from a longer distance should suit after a fair effort last time, though he has been a bit in and out. The Dan Skelton yard has a solid 17% strike rate at Worcester from 430 runs, while Kielan Woods operates at 18% from 236 rides here. He has been placed once from three runs on good to soft without winning and has no course form on record. Typically settling in midfield, his recent form reads /2145- and he is rated 109.
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3Limier d'Arthel54/100
Limier d'Arthel is a smart performer who showed useful form when placed over this trip on his second start. He failed to complete on his most recent outing and now drops back from 2m2½f, which asks a fresh question at this shorter distance. Philip Hobbs has a modest 4% strike-rate at Worcester from 24 runs while Harry Cobden is operating at a solid 23% from 177 rides. He has been placed twice from two runs on good to soft without winning and has no course form. Usually settling in midfield, his recent form reads 1/F23- and he is rated 107.
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4Jerseygeordie51/100
Jerseygeordie is a smart performer who has shown consistent form this year with two placed efforts from his last three starts. He drops back in trip to 2m today which asks a fresh question while first-time headgear is also tried. Harry Derham has a modest 13% strike-rate at Worcester from eight runs while Paul O'Brien records a 14% strike-rate from 66 rides here. He has no experience of good to soft ground and no course form on record. Usually racing handily on or close to the lead, his recent form reads 32 and he carries an official rating of 106.
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5Gaelic Saint50/100
Gaelic Saint is a smart performer who has shown useful form on both hurdling and chasing starts. Dropping back from 2m4f to a trip where he has already placed without winning, though the small overall sample leaves his ideal conditions open to question. Tom Symonds strikes at 5% here from 66 runs while the claiming jockey Rian Corcoran is operating at 11% from 28 rides. Usually held up, he is dropping in class with recent form /2467- and an OR of 107.
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6Diamond Jim49/100
Diamond Jim is a smart performer who won over this trip earlier in his career and has the ratings to be competitive back at 2m. Dropping back from 2m3½f looks a sensible move though the trainer's modest 6% strike rate at Worcester from 82 runs and Jack Tudor's similar record here offer little encouragement. Going suitability remains unknown with only one run on good to soft and no win or place. Typically settling in midfield, his recent form reads 714U7- and he is rated 106.
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7Longmoor49/100
Longmoor is a smart performer who showed useful form when placed on both starts last season, including over this trip. Only lightly raced so far and still has potential to improve. Joe Tizzard has a modest 10% strike rate at Worcester from 31 runs while Freddie Gingell is yet to strike from six rides here. He has one run on good to soft with no win or place and no course form. Usually racing handily, his recent form reads 34- and he is rated 106.
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8Savant du Mesnil36/100
Savant du Mesnil is a useful performer who showed his best when winning at this track over 2m4f on good ground in March. He drops back to 2m today having looked stretched by the extra distance last time. Kayley Woollacott's modest 3% strike rate at Worcester from 35 runs is a negative, as is Ben Godfrey's 2% from 45 rides here. He has one run on good to soft with no win or place. Usually racing handily, his recent form reads /7PP1- and he is rated 100.
KTB verdict
Mister des Places is the KTB Selection. A smart performer who showed useful ability when winning on debut last year before mixing it in stronger company, he can drop back to an untested 2m to good effect for the Murphy and Bowen team that both hold solid Worcester records. The lightly raced and progressive profile gives him the edge in a race where several others bring questions over trip, ground or consistency. Leaumec de Mee and Limier d'Arthel, both with placed form over the trip, look the most obvious dangers, while Jerseygeordie cannot be entirely ruled out if the first-time headgear helps him handle the drop in distance.
KTB Selection Mister des Places
Morning odds
Best available price per runner, captured 00:11 UTC, 21 Oct. These are a morning snapshot and will have moved — see the live racecard for current prices.
| Runner | Morning price | Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|
| Mister des Places | 5/2 | William Hill |
| Leaumec de Mee | 7/2 | William Hill |
| Limier d'Arthel | 5/2 | Bet365 |
| Jerseygeordie | 9/1 | William Hill |
| Gaelic Saint | 7/1 | BetTom |
| Diamond Jim | 12/1 | William Hill |
| Longmoor | 16/1 | 7Bet |
| Savant du Mesnil | 20/1 | 7Bet |
This is the narrative read of the 4:00 Worcester. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Worcester racecard. Every result we hold for the track is on the Worcester results & records page. How favourites, trainers, jockeys and the draw have fared here over the last five years is on the Worcester racecourse statistics page. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horse is unproven on good to soft ground among the leading contenders?
Mister des Places and Jerseygeordie have no runs on good to soft.
How does the muddling pace shape affect the race?
With no obvious front-runner it should suit those ridden close to the pace such as the prominent racers Jerseygeordie, Longmoor and Savant du Mesnil.
Which trainer has the strongest strike rate at Worcester among those represented?
Olly Murphy has a 22% strike rate at Worcester from 169 runs.
Which runner is dropping in class?
Gaelic Saint is dropping in class.
Who is the only runner wearing first-time headgear?
Jerseygeordie is tried in first-time headgear.
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