5:23 Gowran Park
The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap at Gowran Park brings together a compact field of nine over seven furlongs on soft ground. The KTB Fit ratings point to a competitive but not overly deep race, headed by Pink Oxalis on 67 with four others clustered in the low-to-mid 50s. Recent form is mixed, with several runners showing placed efforts on soft or at the track, while others remain unproven in the conditions.
How the race shapes up
The pace shape suggests a fairly even gallop with no obvious front-runner dominating. Pink Oxalis and Greydreambeliever are likely to race prominently from draws seven and two respectively, while several others including Solana Beach and Luna Mia can track or race midfield. The key question is whether the soft ground will expose those with limited experience of it, particularly the younger fillies, and whether the prominent runners can dictate matters in the closing stages.
The KTB Fit ranking
- 1Pink Oxalis KTB Selection67/100
- 2Solana Beach55/100
- 3Greydreambeliever53/100
- 4Luna Mia53/100
- 5Gloriously Glam51/100
- 6Rion Rubette49/100
- 7Fast Tara47/100
- 8Greek Flower42/100
- 9Una Matata38/100
The contenders
Pink Oxalis KTB Fit 67/100
Pink Oxalis arrives with the highest KTB Fit score of 67 and is the clear selection. A five-year-old with a win here from five runs at Gowran Park, she has shown consistent placed form on soft ground with one success from four starts. The Stephen Thorne yard posts a 25% strike rate at the track with an A/E of 1.1, while the combination with Jack Kearney carries a solid 28/145 record overall. Recent figures of 7-0035 indicate she is competitive at this level, and her ability to race prominently should suit the anticipated shape. The market read of 9/1 in a field of nine suggests she is respected without being overbet.
Solana Beach KTB Fit 55/100
Solana Beach is rated second on KTB Fit with a mark of 55. The three-year-old has shown promise with figures of 24, finishing second on her sole run at Gowran Park and placing on her only start on soft ground. J A Stack has a 12% strike rate at the venue with an A/E of 1.17, and the partnership with Andrew Slattery carries an 11% strike rate overall. Her ability to race in a handy position should be an asset, and she remains relatively unexposed. The market read of 13/2 reflects steady support for a filly who looks sure to go well again.
Greydreambeliever KTB Fit 53/100
Greydreambeliever holds a KTB Fit of 53 and boasts strong placed form on soft ground, finishing in the frame in all three starts on the surface. The Joseph Patrick O'Brien-trained four-year-old has been second on both visits to Gowran Park, underlining her course affinity despite no wins to date. Dylan Browne McMonagle takes the ride with a 16% strike rate at the track, while the stable's 14% record here adds further interest. Recent figures of 33-226 show steady consistency, and from draw two she is expected to be prominent. The market read of 11/4 in a field of nine indicates she is prominent in the betting.
Luna Mia KTB Fit 53/100
Luna Mia is rated 53 on KTB Fit and has placed at Gowran Park on her only visit, finishing second. The three-year-old carries recent form of 2182-4 and is trained by M D O'Callaghan, whose yard has a 12% strike rate at the track. Jamie Powell is aboard with a 5% record here, and the filly's ability to race prominently could be important. However, she has no experience on soft ground, which remains a clear question mark. The market read of 4/1 suggests she is well fancied despite the going concern.
The rest of the field
Gloriously GlamKTB Fit 51/100
Gloriously Glam is rated 51 on KTB Fit with recent form of -04813. She has won twice at Gowran Park from four starts and has placed once from three runs on soft. The Adrian McGuinness yard has an 11% strike rate at the venue, but the jockey's 6% record tempers expectations.
Rion RubetteKTB Fit 49/100
Rion Rubette holds a KTB Fit of 49 and arrives off recent form of 847-81. She has won on soft from two starts and won here on her only previous visit to Gowran Park. The Michael Butler stable has a modest 5% strike rate at the track, and the jockey's 3% record adds to the challenge.
Fast TaraKTB Fit 47/100
Fast Tara is rated 47 on KTB Fit with figures of 9-6339 and first-time headgear. She has placed three times from six starts on soft and has one placing from three runs at Gowran Park. The Paul W Flynn yard has a modest 4% strike rate at the course.
Greek FlowerKTB Fit 42/100
Greek Flower carries a KTB Fit of 42 and recent form of 65-368. She has one win from four starts on soft but finished sixth on her only previous run at Gowran Park. The John James Feane yard has a 14% strike rate at the track.
Una MatataKTB Fit 38/100
Una Matata is the lowest rated on KTB Fit at 38 with recent form of 771635. She has no win or place from two runs on soft and finished seventh on her only start at Gowran Park. The Adrian McGuinness and Julian Pietropaolo combination has a 0/14 record together.
KTB verdict
Pink Oxalis stands out on KTB Fit and has the right blend of course form, soft-ground experience and yard record to take this. Her win here and placed efforts on similar ground give her a solid foundation, and the prominent run style should play to her strengths in what looks a fairly even-paced race. Greydreambeliever is the most obvious danger given her repeated placings on soft and at the track, while Solana Beach and Luna Mia bring progressive profiles that cannot be ignored. The remainder of the field have their own claims but look a notch below on the numbers supplied.
KTB Selection Pink Oxalis
Morning odds
Best available price per runner, captured 00:00 UTC, 12 Jun. These are a morning snapshot and will have moved — see the live racecard for current prices.
| Runner | Morning price | Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|
| Pink Oxalis | 9/1 | Bet365 |
| Solana Beach | 13/2 | BetTom |
| Greydreambeliever | 11/4 | BetTom |
| Luna Mia | 9/2 | BetTom |
| Gloriously Glam | 14/1 | Bet365 |
| Rion Rubette | 6/1 | Bet365 |
| Fast Tara | 15/2 | Bet365 |
| Greek Flower | 17/2 | Coral |
| Una Matata | 11/1 | Bet365 |
This is the narrative read of the 5:23 Gowran Park. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Gowran Park racecard. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horse has the highest KTB Fit rating and what is it?
Pink Oxalis has the highest KTB Fit rating of 67.
Which runners have previous winning form at Gowran Park?
Pink Oxalis, Gloriously Glam and Rion Rubette have all won at Gowran Park.
Which horse is unproven on soft ground?
Luna Mia has no runs on soft.
Who is the KTB Selection for this race?
Pink Oxalis is the KTB Selection.
Which horse is wearing first-time headgear?
Fast Tara is wearing first-time headgear.
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