4:45 Cheltenham
This Class 3 amateur jockeys' handicap chase over 3m1f at Cheltenham looks a competitive affair on good ground, with an 11-runner field that includes several high-class performers on their day. The KTB Fit scores are tightly bunched at the top, headed by My Gift To You on 61, with Brandt (60), Snipe (59), Youdecide (56) and Little Ledgend (55) all in serious contention according to the numbers. Recent form is generally strong across the principals, though questions of trip, course and class provide plenty of depth to the puzzle in a genuinely-run contest.
How the race shapes up
With a front-runner likely to be pressed by several handy types, the pace shape is genuinely run and sets up a fair test. Snipe is the one who tends to make the running or race on the pace, while prominent runners such as My Gift To You, Youdecide, Beggars Rock and Fairlawn Skipper will be on or close to that speed. Held-up performers like Brandt, Little Ledgend, Unanswered Prayers, Jupiter des Bordes and Better Off Alone will be produced late, raising the key question of whether the leaders can sustain their effort or if the race will fall to something coming from off the pace.
The KTB Fit ranking
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1My Gift To You KTB Selection61/100
My Gift To You is high-class on his day and brings strong recent form, with a win and two places from his last three starts. He drops in class here from an official rating of 124 but has never won at this trip, and he was well held on his only previous run at Cheltenham where he finished ninth. James Owen's 14% strike rate at the track from 42 runs is respectable, though Alex Chadwick has a 0% record from 10 rides here. The horse usually races handily on or close to the lead, which should suit the anticipated pace, and he holds a record of six wins from 25 starts on good ground. Overall the KTB Fit of 61 marks him as the one to beat.
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2Brandt60/100
Brandt is a high-class performer who arrives in decent nick after a recent win and brings solid ratings to the table from an official rating of 120. He steps up in trip today having already placed over this distance without winning, while the going looks competitive rather than ideal based on one placing from six starts on good. The trainer records a 12% strike rate at Cheltenham from 17 runs, and the jockey has a 0% record from two rides here. Usually held up and producing his effort late, he will be looking to come from off the pace in what is set to be a genuinely-run race. His KTB Fit of 60 makes him a major player.
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3Snipe59/100
Snipe is a high-class performer with a solid recent record of 6-2423 and an official rating of 125. He steps up in trip today having already won twice at this distance from eight attempts, though he has been placed just twice from 15 starts on good ground. Dan Skelton's 12% strike rate at Cheltenham from 592 runs is below the yard's 19% at other courses, and this is the horse's first appearance here. The jockey has a 0% record from seven rides at the track. As a front-runner who tends to make the running or race on the pace, he is likely to set the fractions in a race with a genuinely-run shape, which could play to his strengths.
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4Youdecide56/100
Youdecide is a smart performer who arrives in solid nick after two seconds in lesser company from recent form figures of P-1122. He steps up markedly in trip today having never gone beyond 2m4f, so the extra distance poses a fresh question from an official rating of 110. Ben Pauling's 6% strike rate at Cheltenham from 238 runs is below his 16% elsewhere, while this is the horse's first run here. Miss Gina Andrews has a strong 15% strike rate at the track from 80 rides. Usually racing handily on or close to the lead, he should be involved early in what is expected to be a fair test, and he holds two wins from seven starts on good ground.
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5Little Ledgend55/100
Little Ledgend is a high-class performer on recent evidence with four wins from his last six starts and an official rating of 123. He steps up in trip today as a fresh question while making his first appearance at Cheltenham. The yard has a 7% strike rate here from 137 runs which is below their 19% at other courses, and the jockey has a 4% record from 54 rides at the track. Usually held up and producing his effort late, he will be looking to strike in the latter stages of a genuinely-run contest. His KTB Fit of 55 keeps him firmly in the mix among the principals.
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6Unanswered Prayers54/100
Unanswered Prayers is a smart performer who has won at this track from six runs here. He drops back from 3m5f to a trip where he is 0-5 so far and his recent form has been patchy with a pulled-up effort last time from figures of 5634-P. The trainer records a 9% strike rate at Cheltenham from 94 runs which is in line with his record elsewhere while the jockey has limited experience here with a 0% record from two rides.
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7Jupiter des Bordes54/100
Jupiter des Bordes is a smart performer who arrives on the back of two modest efforts after a better second at Warwick from recent form of 20559-. He drops back in trip today having failed to land a blow at this distance on his only previous attempt. The trainer's 2% strike rate from 60 runs at Cheltenham sits below his 14% at other tracks, though the jockey has a 33% record from three rides here.
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8Beggars Rock52/100
Beggars Rock is a high-class performer on the balance of his ratings and recent race history from figures of -60116. He steps up markedly in trip today from 2m2f to an unproven 3m1f, where he has been beaten all four previous attempts at the distance. The yard records an 11% strike rate at Cheltenham from nine runs while he makes his first appearance here.
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9Ceanndana48/100
Ceanndana is a smart performer who has placed on good ground and won over today's trip in the past. He showed only modest form on his one previous run here when sixth, and steps back up in distance having been campaigned over shorter lately from figures of 23-543. The trainer has a 0% strike rate from eight runs at Cheltenham.
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10Fairlawn Skipper48/100
Fairlawn Skipper is a smart performer who arrives in excellent order with four wins from his last six starts from figures of 01U121. He steps up in trip for the first time today which asks a fresh question while this will be his first run at Cheltenham where the trainer has a 0% strike rate from 14 attempts. He goes well on good ground with two wins from eight starts.
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11Better Off Alone45/100
Better Off Alone is a useful performer who showed a bit more when winning at Exeter last time from figures of 34P-31. He has been placed on good ground and steps up in trip today having failed to get involved on his only previous attempt at this distance. The trainer records a 9% strike rate at Cheltenham from 279 runs while the horse finished seventh on his only previous run here.
KTB verdict
My Gift To You is the KTB Selection. He brings the strongest recent form of the principals with a win and two places from his last three starts, and his prominent run-style should see him well placed in a genuinely-run race while dropping in class. The selection's high-class ability on his day and KTB Fit of 61 give him the edge, though he does have to overcome a lack of success at this trip and a modest effort on his sole previous Cheltenham run. Main dangers are Brandt, who arrives in decent nick after a recent win and holds solid ratings, Snipe with his proven record at the trip and likely role on the pace, and the in-form Youdecide and Little Ledgend who add further depth to a competitive renewal.
KTB Selection My Gift To You
Early prices
The best price per runner across the bookmakers we track, each as first seen (UK time). Every runner had a price by 1:22am, 23 Oct. Prices move — see the live racecard for current prices.
| Runner | Early price | Bookmaker, time |
|---|---|---|
| My Gift To You | 25/1 | Bet Victor, 1:21am |
| Brandt | 11/1 | William Hill, 1:21am |
| Snipe | 16/1 | William Hill, 1:21am |
| Youdecide | 13/2 | William Hill, 1:21am |
| Little Ledgend | 3/1 | William Hill, 1:21am |
| Unanswered Prayers | 7/1 | William Hill, 1:21am |
| Jupiter des Bordes | 25/1 | Bet Victor, 1:21am |
| Beggars Rock | 11/1 | Bet365, 1:21am |
| Ceanndana | 14/1 | Bet365, 1:21am |
| Fairlawn Skipper | 9/2 | William Hill, 1:21am |
| Better Off Alone | 17/2 | Bet Victor, 1:21am |
This is the narrative read of the 4:45 Cheltenham. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Cheltenham racecard. Every result we hold for the track is on the Cheltenham results & records page. How favourites, trainers, jockeys and the draw have fared here over the last five years is on the Cheltenham racecourse statistics page. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horse is dropping in class and has never won at this trip?
My Gift To You, who has recent form of 42-153 and an OR of 124.
How many wins has Snipe recorded at this distance?
Two wins from eight attempts at this distance.
Which runner is stepping up markedly in trip having never gone beyond 2m4f?
Youdecide, whose recent form reads P-1122.
What is Little Ledgend's recent win record?
Four wins from his last six starts.
Which horse has won at Cheltenham but is 0-5 at this trip?
Unanswered Prayers, whose recent form is 5634-P.
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