4:42 Uttoxeter
This Class 4 Sun Racing Summer Jumps Championship Handicap Steeple Chase over 2m4f at Uttoxeter serves as an ARC Summer Chase Series qualifier on good ground. A field of ten includes several smart performers on their day, with the KTB Fit scores highlighting a clutch of horses rated in the upper 50s and above. First-time headgear is a common theme, applied to eight of the ten runners, while the overall KTB numbers point to a competitive heat featuring recent winners and consistent types dropping in class.
How the race shapes up
The pace shape is described as tentative with low confidence, suggesting it is difficult to be certain how the race will unfold. A Dublin Job has a tendency to go forward and make the running, while Ras Kassar usually races prominently on or close to the lead. Most of the remainder are expected to race with cover, and Hudson is typically held up to produce his effort late. The key question is whether the early gallop will prove strong enough or if the race will be decided by those coming from off the pace in what could develop into a tactical affair.
The KTB Fit ranking
- 1Palamon KTB Selection67/100High-class performer on his day with a solid record at this trip and on good ground.
- 2Ras Kassar59/100Smart performer who has been below his best on both starts this year after a long absence.
- 3Country Park59/100Smart performer who has looked back in form with a win last time and a solid second here previously.
- 4At The Oche59/100Smart performer who arrives in solid nick after four straight seconds, including a good effort when last seen over three miles.
- 5Gateau De Miel55/100Smart performer who arrives in solid form with three wins from his last six starts.
- 6Belle Le Grand53/100Smart performer who has shown useful form this season with a win and a solid placed effort from three starts.
- 7Hudson47/100Smart performer on his day but has failed to build on early promise and looks generally out of sorts at present.
- 8Buddah Castle47/100Smart performer with a win at today's trip from three attempts.
- 9Lakefield Flyer43/100Smart performer who arrives in decent nick after a win and a third in his last two starts.
- 10A Dublin Job39/100Useful performer who has been out of sorts this season and finished no better than sixth on his last three starts.
The contenders
Palamon KTB Fit 67/100
Palamon is a high-class performer on his day with a solid record at this trip and on good ground. He comes here off a break and tries headgear for the first time while making his debut at Uttoxeter. The Dan Skelton yard boasts a strong 23% strike rate at the track from a big sample of 628 runs. Trainer and jockey combined show 13 wins from 123 rides at 11% with an A/E of 1.19. He has two wins from 11 starts on good ground and drops in class. KTB rates him top with a Fit score of 67.
Ras Kassar KTB Fit 59/100
Ras Kassar is a smart performer who has been below his best on both starts this year after a long absence. He steps up in trip for the first time in a while and tries headgear while usually racing prominently on or close to the lead. The David Pipe stable has a solid 16% strike rate at Uttoxeter from 547 runs. Jockey Rian Corcoran has a 27% strike rate at the track from a small sample. He is unproven on good ground with just one run to date. KTB gives him a Fit score of 59.
Country Park KTB Fit 59/100
Country Park is a smart performer who has looked back in form with a win last time and a solid second here previously. He drops back to a trip he has won over while first-time headgear is an interesting addition. The Jonjo & A.J. O'Neill team has an 11% strike rate at Uttoxeter from 80 runs. Jonjo O'Neill Jr. also shows 11% at the track. He has one win from ten starts on good ground with three places and has placed once from one run at the course. KTB assigns a Fit score of 59.
At The Oche KTB Fit 59/100
At The Oche is a smart performer who arrives in solid nick after four straight seconds, including a good effort when last seen over three miles. He drops back to a trip where he has already placed without winning and handles good ground well with two wins from seven starts. The Dan Skelton yard has a 23% strike rate at Uttoxeter. Harry Skelton is 29% at the track from 492 rides. This is his first run at Uttoxeter. KTB rates him with a Fit score of 59.
Gateau De Miel KTB Fit 55/100
Gateau De Miel is a smart performer who arrives in solid form with three wins from his last six starts. He drops back to a trip he has placed at before while first-time headgear is now applied and he drops in class. The Fergal O'Brien stable maintains a solid 17% strike rate at Uttoxeter from 493 runs. He has two wins from 12 starts on good ground with four places. This represents his first visit to the course. KTB gives him a Fit score of 55.
The rest of the field
Belle Le GrandKTB Fit 53/100
Belle Le Grand is a smart performer who has shown useful form this season with a win and a solid placed effort from three starts. Four wins from eight runs on good ground is a clear plus and the first-time headgear is an interesting addition. She is untried at Uttoxeter and is yet to place in two runs at this trip. KTB Fit 53.
HudsonKTB Fit 47/100
Hudson is a smart performer on his day but has failed to build on early promise and looks generally out of sorts at present. He shows only modest form on good ground, has yet to show anything at this trip and is held up to produce his effort late. First-time headgear is reached for while the yard's solid 22% strike-rate at Uttoxeter offers some hope. He has finished eighth on his only previous run here. KTB Fit 47.
Buddah CastleKTB Fit 47/100
Buddah Castle is a smart performer with a win at today's trip from three attempts. Recent form of 14P-UU is patchy and the horse has been far from consistent. The trainer has only three runs at Uttoxeter so the sample is too small to judge while the going remains an unknown on limited evidence. He drops in class. KTB Fit 47.
Lakefield FlyerKTB Fit 43/100
Lakefield Flyer is a smart performer who arrives in decent nick after a win and a third in his last two starts. He drops back to a trip he has won twice from seven attempts while first-time headgear is also tried and he steps up in class. The trainer has yet to strike at this track from 14 runners and the horse has never been here before. KTB Fit 43.
A Dublin JobKTB Fit 39/100
A Dublin Job is a useful performer who has been out of sorts this season and finished no better than sixth on his last three starts. He drops back from 3m to a trip he has won at twice before while first-time headgear is now applied and he tends to go forward. The yard has a modest 3% strike-rate at Uttoxeter from 128 runs and the horse is 0-3 at the course. KTB Fit 39.
KTB verdict
Palamon is the KTB Selection. He possesses high-class ability on his day, boasts a solid record at this trip and on good ground, and represents a yard with a strong 23% strike rate at Uttoxeter from a large sample. The drop in class and first-time headgear add further interest as he returns from a break. The main dangers are headed by At The Oche, who arrives in excellent nick after a string of seconds and drops back to a suitable trip for a yard and jockey in excellent form at the track, while Country Park brings recent winning form and prior placed experience here.
KTB Selection Palamon
This is the narrative read of the 4:42 Uttoxeter. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Uttoxeter racecard. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horse is making its first appearance at Uttoxeter?
Palamon, Ras Kassar, At The Oche, Gateau De Miel, Belle Le Grand, Buddah Castle and Lakefield Flyer have no course form on record.
How many of the runners are wearing first-time headgear?
Eight of the ten runners are wearing first-time headgear: Palamon, Ras Kassar, Country Park, Gateau De Miel, Belle Le Grand, Hudson, Lakefield Flyer and A Dublin Job.
Which trainer has the strongest strike rate at Uttoxeter in this field?
Dan Skelton has a 23% strike rate at Uttoxeter from 628 runs.
Who has the best recent form figures among the principals?
At The Oche with 25222- followed by Country Park with 3F4-41.
Which horse tends to race prominently or make the running?
Ras Kassar usually races handily on or close to the lead, while A Dublin Job tends to make the running or race on the pace.
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