5:25 Cork
The Fitzgerald's Woodlands House Hotel Handicap at Cork is a 21-runner 1m0f contest on yielding to soft ground. The KTB numbers point to a race full of limited performers, with the top-rated horse carrying a modest Fit Score of 65 and most of the field rated in the low-to-mid 40s or below. In a race lacking obvious class, recent course form, trip suitability and trainer/jockey records at the track become the main points of reference.
How the race shapes up
With no one obviously wanting the lead, the pace shape points to a steadily-run, tactical affair in which being handy should pay. Most of the principals are held-up types who produce their effort late, so the race is likely to develop into a test of timing from off the pace in a bunched field. The key question is whether any horse can quicken effectively off a slow tempo on this ground or whether those who can get a more prominent position without using up too much energy will hold the advantage.
The KTB Fit ranking
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1La Tulipe Noire KTB Selection65/100
La Tulipe Noire is the KTB Selection. She is a limited horse who has won once from four starts at Cork and also has three wins from 18 runs at this trip. She has placed once from four starts on yielding to soft but has been well below form on her last six outings. The trainer holds a modest 8% strike rate here from 39 runs. Usually held up and producing her effort late from stall 13, she will need the steadily-run race to set up for a late run if she is to capitalise on her course record.
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2Cisterna57/100
Cisterna is a limited horse who has been placed twice from three starts at Cork without winning. The yard posts a modest 8% strike-rate here from a big sample while the 5lb claimer has a solid 15% record from his 20 rides at the track. He steps up in trip today having won over this distance before though he remains unproven on yielding-to-soft ground. Usually held up, his two placings at the track suggest he can be competitive if the steadily-run pace shape plays to his strengths from a wide draw.
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3Racing Royalty55/100
Racing Royalty is a limited performer who has failed to win in 27 starts and looks no better than fair at this level. Has been placed once from three runs at Cork but showed little spark on yielding to soft ground last time and is now stepping up in trip having achieved nothing at a mile before. Trainer and jockey both have solid enough records at the track. Usually held up from a low draw, he will need to find more than he has shown of late if he is to figure in a steadily-run race.
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4Monocle Rocket46/100
Monocle Rocket is a limited performer who has shown little in five starts to date. Recent seconds in a couple of modest handicaps give some sort of baseline but the step up to a mile today asks a fresh question. Trainer has a fair recent record at Cork while the jockey's strike-rate here is modest. Usually held up, his lack of course form and unproven status on yielding to soft add to the unknowns in what is likely to be a tactical contest.
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5Watercraft46/100
Watercraft is a limited performer who has shown little in four starts to date. Finished a remote last of six on his most recent outing and looks up against it again from stall seven. Trainer's modest 4% strike rate at Cork adds little encouragement. Usually held up, he has achieved little so far and will need to improve markedly on this surface and trip if he is to make an impression.
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6Rampage45/100
Rampage is a limited performer who has been around a long time and rarely wins. He drops back to a trip he has won at before though his recent form is ordinary and he has never run at Cork. Trainer and jockey both have modest records at the track while he typically settles in midfield.
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7Micasso45/100
Micasso is a limited horse who has shown mixed form this year and was well held on his latest start. He has placed once from three runs at Cork and steps up to a trip he has won over before, though he is unproven on yielding to soft ground. The trainer is still seeking a first Cork winner from 13 runs while the jockey has an above-average record here and he is usually held up.
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8Marambo45/100
Marambo is a limited performer who has shown very little in three runs this year after a modest debut campaign. He has been beaten a long way on each of his last three starts and has failed to place in five attempts at this trip. The trainer's modest record at Cork adds little encouragement and he is usually held up.
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9Cause I Like You45/100
Cause I Like You is a limited performer who has been in and out of form all season and is now on his 19th start as a 3-year-old. He has run well at Cork before, finishing second here over this trip on his penultimate outing, and he has also placed on yielding to soft ground. Trainer Mulvany has a modest 6% strike rate at the track while jockey W J Lee brings a solid 15% record here and he typically settles in midfield.
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10Blue Orquidea44/100
Blue Orquidea is a limited performer who has shown very little in four starts to date. First-time headgear is now reached for after two modest efforts at this trip. Trainer and jockey both have below-average records at Cork and he typically settles in midfield.
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11Movin And Groovin43/100
Movin And Groovin is a limited performer who has shown bits of form this year but remains inconsistent overall. Steps up to 1m having won once at the trip from four attempts, though he is unproven on yielding to soft ground. Trainer and jockey both operate at a 7% strike rate at Cork and he is usually held up.
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12Strikepoint43/100
Strikepoint is a limited performer who has shown very little in four starts to date and was well beaten on his only visit to Cork. The step up from 6f to a mile asks a fresh question of him while both trainer and jockey have modest records at the track. He is usually held up.
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13Ramair42/100
Ramair is a limited performer who has been out of the frame on his last four starts and looks up against it from a wide draw today. He has placed once at this trip but is unproven on yielding to soft ground and makes his first appearance at Cork. The trainer has a 0% strike rate from five runs here while the jockey has had too few rides at the track to judge and he is usually held up.
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14Medieval Night41/100
Medieval Night is a limited performer who has been on the go a long time without winning. He has shown the odd respectable run but his recent form is patchy and he was well held when he tried this track once before. The trainer and jockey both have modest records at Cork while the horse is unproven on yielding to soft ground and drops back in trip today. He is usually held up.
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15Grey Intentions41/100
Grey Intentions is a limited performer who has shown very little in six starts and was well held when sixth on his only previous visit to Cork. Dropping back from 1m5f to 1m poses a fresh question while the wide draw in stall 15 is no help. Trainer remains without a winner from 37 runs at the track and he is usually held up.
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16Concaire41/100
Concaire is a limited performer who has shown little spark in recent starts and finished eighth on his only previous run here. Drops back to a trip he has placed at once before but has never tackled yielding to soft ground. Trainer and jockey both operate at a low strike rate at Cork and he is usually held up.
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17Tickle The Cat40/100
Tickle The Cat is a limited performer who has shown little in five starts and finished well beaten on his only previous run here. The drop back to 1m asks a fresh question having been outpaced over 1m2f last time. Trainer Kevin Thomas Coleman has a modest 3% strike rate at Cork from 102 runs while Colin Keane's 14% record from 483 rides at the track offers some encouragement and he is usually held up.
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18Jazz Dreamers39/100
Jazz Dreamers is a limited performer who has been out of form for some time with a string of poor efforts. Drops back to his winning trip today but remains unproven on yielding to soft ground and makes his first start at Cork. The yard's modest 4% strike rate at the track adds little encouragement and he is usually held up.
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19Saith Seren36/100
Saith Seren is a limited performer who has been consistent enough to place without winning at this trip in the past. He steps up from 7f today with a modest record on this type of ground and makes his first start at Cork from a wide draw. The trainer has a 3% strike rate here from 120 runs while the jockey is 7% from 179 rides and he is usually held up.
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20Lily's Magic33/100
Lily's Magic is a limited performer who has shown very little in four starts and finished a remote tenth on her only previous run here. She steps out in first-time headgear having been off since October and is asked a fresh question over this trip where she has failed to make an impression twice before. Trainer has too few runs at Cork to form any reliable view while the jockey is still seeking a first winner at the track from five rides and she is usually held up.
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21Arizona Star33/100
Arizona Star is a limited performer who has shown very little in nine starts this year. He was well beaten on his only previous run at Cork and has failed to place on his one attempt at this trip or on yielding to soft ground. The trainer and jockey both hold a 6% strike rate at the track and he typically settles in midfield.
KTB verdict
La Tulipe Noire is the KTB Selection. She brings the best course record in the race with a win from four starts at Cork and has placed on yielding to soft ground, which gives her a clear edge in a field of limited performers. The steadily-run pace shape should suit her usual held-up style if she can reproduce anything close to her best. The main dangers are Cisterna, who has been placed twice at the track, and Racing Royalty, who has solid enough trainer and jockey records here despite modest overall form.
KTB Selection La Tulipe Noire
This is the narrative read of the 5:25 Cork. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Cork racecard. Every result we hold for the track is on the Cork results & records page. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horse has the strongest course record at Cork?
La Tulipe Noire has won once from four starts at Cork.
How many of the principals are unproven on yielding to soft ground?
Cisterna, Monocle Rocket, Watercraft and Racing Royalty have either no runs or limited placed efforts on yielding to soft.
What does the pace shape suggest for race tactics?
Lacks a leader so likely a steadily-run, tactical affair where being handy pays.
Which jockey has the best strike rate at Cork among those with meaningful data?
The 5lb claimer on Cisterna has a 15% strike rate from 20 rides at Cork.
Which horses are stepping up in trip for this race?
Cisterna, Racing Royalty, Monocle Rocket, Movin And Groovin, Strikepoint, Ramair, Medieval Night, Grey Intentions, Concaire, Tickle The Cat, Saith Seren and Lily's Magic are all stepping up in trip.
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