4:50 Curragh
The 4:50 Curragh is a 21-runner apprentice handicap over six furlongs on good ground. A modest field overall according to the KTB numbers, with the top-rated horse only reaching a Fit score of 63. The race features a lone-leader pace shape with high confidence, suggesting an uncontested lead that could prove difficult for the many held-up types to overcome.
How the race shapes up
With a lone leader likely to have its own way out in front, the pace shape points to an uncontested lead that will be hard for closers to reel in. The vast majority of the field, including all five principals, are held-up runners who will be looking to produce their efforts late. The key question is whether any of the closers possess the necessary finishing kick to bridge the gap to the uncontested front-runner on this track and trip.
The KTB Fit ranking
- 1Naoi KTB Selection63/100Modest performer who has shown consistent placed form and just got off the mark last time.
- 2Faoladh56/100Modest performer who has won twice on good ground from ten attempts and arrives in decent form after a recent success.
- 3Tawaazon54/100Tawaazon is a limited performer who has won twice at this track from nine runs and holds a solid course record overall.
- 4Poweracclaim54/100Modest performer who has been competitive without winning at this trip on good ground.
- 5Simmering Seas52/100Usually held up and produces its effort late.
- 6Four Blondes49/100Modest performer who has run nine times at the Curragh without winning, though he has managed a couple of placed efforts and a fourth.
- 7Rosato49/100Modest performer who has run 14 times at the Curragh without winning, though he has been placed here and finished second on his latest visit.
- 8Gerrit's Gem49/100Modest performer who has run seven times here without winning yet has been placed twice including a second.
- 9Top Biller49/100Modest performer who has been consistent enough this year without winning often.
- 10Fontaine Khaled49/100Usually held up and produces its effort late.
- 11Flaming Rib48/100Modest performer who has been largely out of form this year and finished down the field on his only previous run here.
- 12Dervo Annie48/100Usually held up and produces its effort late.
- 13Call The Cavalry48/100Usually held up and produces its effort late.
- 14Lethimfly45/100Modest performer who has shown little spark in two runs at this track and arrives on the back of a string of poor efforts.
- 15Coincidental Glory44/100Usually held up and produces its effort late.
- 16Apothic Red42/100Usually held up and produces its effort late.
- 17I'm Spartacus41/100I'm Spartacus is a limited performer who has been busy this year yet rarely threatens at this level.
- 18Another Nice'day40/100Usually held up and produces its effort late.
- 19Strikepoint39/100Usually held up and produces its effort late.
- 20Caffu Zafeen34/100Limited performer who has been well beaten in all four starts this season and showed little spark when ninth of 12 over this course and trip last time.
- 21Pure Valour28/100Usually held up and produces its effort late.
The contenders
Naoi KTB Fit 63/100
Naoi is a modest performer who has shown consistent placed form and just got off the mark last time. He drops back to 6f having been placed at the trip before, though his last run was over 7f so this represents a fresh question. The trainer records a modest 8% strike rate at Curragh from a big sample of 666 runs while the jockey has a strong 16% strike rate here from 31 rides. He has been placed on all three starts on good ground without winning and has a placed effort from his one previous run at the course. Usually held up and producing his effort late, he will need to find a way to close on the uncontested leader from draw 4. His recent form of 3338-1 gives him a solid platform as the selection.
Faoladh KTB Fit 56/100
Faoladh is a modest performer who has won twice on good ground from ten attempts and arrives in decent form after a recent success. He drops back to an untried 6f today having last run over 7f, which asks a fresh question of him. The trainer has a solid 7% strike rate from 395 runs at Curragh while the jockey has no recorded rides here. He has shown two wins and four places from ten starts on good going. Usually held up and producing his effort late with high confidence, he will be among those trying to close on the leader from a wide draw of 18. His form figures of 169001 underline that he is in reasonable heart at present.
Tawaazon KTB Fit 54/100
Tawaazon is a limited performer who has won twice at this track from nine runs and holds a solid course record overall. He steps up from 5f to 6f today having won five times at the trip previously yet his recent form of 295945 shows little spark. The trainer holds a 13% strike rate here from 31 runs while the jockey is still seeking a first Curragh winner from seven rides. He has two wins and seven places from 20 starts on good ground. Usually held up and producing his effort late with high confidence, he will need to find more than he has shown lately from draw 6 to trouble the leader.
Poweracclaim KTB Fit 54/100
Poweracclaim is a modest performer who has been competitive without winning at this trip on good ground. He has shown consistent placed form at the Curragh itself but lacks a win anywhere in ten runs. The trainer has a solid 10% strike-rate here from a big sample of 867 runs while the jockey is operating at 5%. He has been placed twice from four starts on good going and has placed efforts from all three previous runs at the course. Usually held up and producing his effort late with high confidence, he will look to close from draw 12 in a race where the leader may prove hard to catch.
Simmering Seas KTB Fit 52/100
Simmering Seas is a three-year-old with placed form on good ground but no win from six starts at the surface. He has been competitive in recent runs but showed no win or place from three previous efforts at the Curragh. The trainer has an 8% strike rate at the track from 66 runs while the jockey has a useful 12% strike rate from 17 rides here. Usually held up and producing his effort late with high confidence, he now tries first-time headgear from draw 14. His form of 7-6024 suggests he retains ability but needs to improve on his course record.
The rest of the field
Four BlondesKTB Fit 49/100
Four Blondes is a modest performer who has run nine times at the Curragh without winning, though he has managed a couple of placed efforts and a fourth. He has shown bits of form on good ground with one win and five places from 14 starts, and he has also placed three times at this trip from nine attempts. The trainer holds a solid 7% strike rate here from a big sample while the jockey remains winless from five rides at the track. Usually held up, he comes from draw 13.
RosatoKTB Fit 49/100
Rosato is a modest performer who has run 14 times at the Curragh without winning, though he has been placed here and finished second on his latest visit. He has shown competitive form on good ground and holds a solid record at this trip with three wins from 21 starts. The trainer remains winless from 39 runs at the track while the jockey has a useful 12% strike rate here. Usually held up, he is drawn in stall 16.
Gerrit's GemKTB Fit 49/100
Gerrit's Gem is a modest performer who has run seven times here without winning yet has been placed twice including a second. He has won on good ground and at this trip but his recent form is poor and the yard's record at the Curragh is modest. The jockey also has a low strike rate at the track. Usually held up, he races from draw 5.
Top BillerKTB Fit 49/100
Top Biller is a modest performer who has been consistent enough this year without winning often. Placed twice from four runs on good ground and has two wins at today's trip from 20 attempts, though the recent form of 660202 suggests he is vulnerable to sharper types from stall 21. The trainer has a 6% strike rate from 374 runs at Curragh while the jockey has only three rides here so far. He is the only front-runner in the field.
Fontaine KhaledKTB Fit 49/100
Fontaine Khaled is a three-year-old with placed form on good ground but no win from five starts at the surface. He has shown modest form in recent runs and has no win or place from two previous starts at the Curragh. The trainer has an 8% strike rate at the track from 139 runs while the jockey has an 11% strike rate from 28 rides here. Usually held up, he is drawn in stall 2.
Flaming RibKTB Fit 48/100
Flaming Rib is a modest performer who has been largely out of form this year and finished down the field on his only previous run here. He has won five times at this trip but his recent efforts suggest he is vulnerable again from stall 3. The trainer's modest record at the Curragh adds little confidence. Usually held up, his form reads 0-5487.
Dervo AnnieKTB Fit 48/100
Dervo Annie is a three-year-old with a win and three places from four starts on good ground. She has shown mixed form this season but has no course form on record. The trainer has a 0% strike rate at Curragh from 21 runs while the jockey has a 6% strike rate from 31 rides here. Usually held up, she races from draw 7.
Call The CavalryKTB Fit 48/100
Call The Cavalry is a three-year-old with no runs on good ground so far and is therefore unproven on the surface. He has shown modest form in recent starts but has no course form on record. The trainer has a 5% strike rate at Curragh from 44 runs while the jockey has a 0% strike rate from seven rides here. Usually held up, he is drawn in stall 1.
LethimflyKTB Fit 45/100
Lethimfly is a modest performer who has shown little spark in two runs at this track and arrives on the back of a string of poor efforts. He steps up from 5f to a trip where he has placed once in three tries, though that was some time ago. The trainer holds a modest 6% strike-rate here while the jockey is still seeking a first Curragh success from 22 rides. Usually held up, he comes from draw 11.
Coincidental GloryKTB Fit 44/100
Coincidental Glory is a three-year-old with three places from eight starts on good ground. He has been placed on three of five starts at the Curragh but is yet to win at the track. The trainer has a 5% strike rate at Curragh from 649 runs while the jockey has a 0% strike rate from 23 rides here. Usually held up, he is drawn in stall 10.
Apothic RedKTB Fit 42/100
Apothic Red is a three-year-old with no runs on good ground so far and is therefore unproven on the surface. He has shown modest form in recent starts and has no win or place from four previous efforts at the Curragh. The trainer has a 3% strike rate at the track from 388 runs while the jockey has a 6% strike rate from 16 rides here. Usually held up, he races from draw 8.
I'm SpartacusKTB Fit 41/100
I'm Spartacus is a limited performer who has been busy this year yet rarely threatens at this level. He has shown some placed form over course and distance but his recent efforts have been poor and he is drawn widest of all in stall 20. The trainer's modest 5% strike rate at Curragh adds little confidence here. Usually held up, his form reads 160480.
Another Nice'dayKTB Fit 40/100
Another Nice'day is a three-year-old with a win and a place from seven starts on good ground. She has shown mixed form this season but has no course form on record. The trainer has a 4% strike rate at Curragh from 47 runs while the jockey has an 11% strike rate from nine rides here. Usually held up, she is drawn in stall 15.
StrikepointKTB Fit 39/100
Strikepoint is a three-year-old with one run on good ground that produced no win or place. He has shown modest form in three starts to date and has no course form on record. The trainer has a 7% strike rate at Curragh from 259 runs while the jockey has a 5% strike rate from 21 rides here. Usually held up, he comes from draw 17.
Caffu ZafeenKTB Fit 34/100
Caffu Zafeen is a limited performer who has been well beaten in all four starts this season and showed little spark when ninth of 12 over this course and trip last time. He has managed a couple of placed efforts on good ground and at this trip in the past but remains winless after 14 runs and is now tried in first-time headgear. The trainer and jockey both have modest strike rates at the Curragh. Usually held up, he is drawn in stall 19.
Pure ValourKTB Fit 28/100
Pure Valour is a modest performer who has shown little in recent starts. He has no win or place from two runs on good ground and has no win or place from two previous efforts at the Curragh. The trainer has a 4% strike rate at the track from 236 runs while the jockey has a 0% strike rate from five rides here. Usually held up, he races from draw 9.
KTB verdict
Naoi stands out as the KTB Selection. A modest performer who has shown consistent placed form before getting off the mark last time, he drops back to a trip where he has been placed before and benefits from a strong jockey record at the track. The uncontested lead should make it hard for many of the held-up types to get there, yet his late kick gives him a good chance of picking up the pieces. Main dangers are Faoladh, who arrives in decent form after a recent win, and Tawaazon, who boasts a solid course record at the Curragh. Poweracclaim and Simmering Seas are next in the KTB Fit order and cannot be entirely ruled out.
KTB Selection Naoi
This is the narrative read of the 4:50 Curragh. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Curragh racecard. Every result we hold for the track is on the Curragh results & records page. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
How many of the principals are held-up runners?
All five principals are held-up runners who usually produce their effort late.
Which horse is the only front-runner in the field?
Top Biller is the only front-runner, tending to make the running or race on the pace.
Which horse has the strongest jockey record at Curragh among the principals?
Naoi's jockey has a 16% strike rate at Curragh from 31 rides.
How many horses in the full field have no course form on record?
Six horses have no course form on record: Faoladh, Top Biller, Dervo Annie, Call The Cavalry, Another Nice'day and Strikepoint.
Which two horses are wearing first-time headgear?
Simmering Seas and Caffu Zafeen are both wearing first-time headgear.
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