5:27 Leopardstown
This 7f Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden at Leopardstown features a field of 16 two-year-olds on good to firm ground. The KTB Fit ratings are tightly bunched at the top, with no standout standout, reflecting a race where experience, pedigree and the tactical nature of the contest will matter. Several runners arrive with limited racecourse evidence, while others bring modest placed form without having won.
How the race shapes up
The pace shape lacks an obvious leader, pointing 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 key question is whether any horse can get a good position early without using up too much energy. With the pace expected to be even, those capable of quickening off a steady gallop in the final two furlongs are likely to hold the advantage.
The KTB Fit ranking
- 1Banks Of The Boyne KTB Selection51/100Has shown fair form without winning in five starts and was placed when tried over this trip earlier in the season.
- 2Summer Sent You47/100Summer Sent You showed very little on debut over this trip and has to improve markedly to figure.
- 3Melchizedek47/100Melchizedek is a debutant with no racecourse experience.
- 4Spanish View47/100Spanish View showed little on debut when finishing ninth of 11 over this trip at the Curragh.
- 5Kilconnell45/100Kilconnell is a newcomer with no racecourse form to go on.
- 6Dear Theodosia45/100Has shown very little in two starts so far, finishing out of the frame both times including when 11th on this track.
- 7Battle Ready44/100Battle Ready has only one run to his name so he remains very much an unknown quantity.
- 8Buck Jones44/100Buck Jones showed very little on his sole start over 7½f and now drops back in trip to 7f with the same result last time.
- 9The Green Helmet44/100The Green Helmet showed fair promise when third on debut over 6f and backed that up with a solid seventh in a stronger race last time.
- 10Essence Of Time43/100Essence Of Time is a newcomer whose assessment rests entirely on pedigree and sales background.
- 11Togetherwearefree43/100Son of Blue Point out of a useful 6f winner who is a half-sister to Group-placed performers.
- 12Sovreigns Joy42/100Sovreigns Joy showed little after starting slowly on debut over this trip.
- 13Letmeentertainyou41/100Letmeentertainyou showed little on his 5f debut and now steps up markedly in trip as well as class.
- 14Blitogue41/100Blitogue showed modest promise when fifth on debut over this trip.
- 15Romance39/100Has shown little so far with two modest efforts at this trip.
- 16Lucy's Promise35/100Lucy's Promise is a modest performer who has failed to land a blow in four starts so far, finishing no closer than seventh.
The contenders
Banks Of The Boyne KTB Fit 51/100
Banks Of The Boyne has shown fair form without winning in five starts and was placed when tried over this trip earlier in the season. Stepping up from 6f today looks a sensible move on pedigree and the way he has been running. The trainer has a modest 5% strike rate at Leopardstown from a large sample while the 3lb claimer is yet to trouble the judge here. Usually held up, he produces his effort late and should be suited by a steadily-run race. He remains unproven on good to firm and has no course form on record. His KTB Fit score of 51 is the highest in the field.
Summer Sent You KTB Fit 47/100
Summer Sent You showed very little on debut over this trip and has to improve markedly to figure. The lightly-raced profile means the form is hard to weigh up with any confidence. Trainer K J Condon has a 6% strike rate from 216 runs at Leopardstown while jockey Shane Foley is making his first appearance at the track. Usually held up with limited evidence, he remains unproven on good to firm and has no course form on record. With a KTB Fit of 47 he sits just behind the selection but needs to find plenty.
Melchizedek KTB Fit 47/100
Melchizedek is a debutant with no racecourse experience. The low data confidence means any view rests almost entirely on pedigree and sales background that has not yet been tested. Trainer M P Fogarty has a modest record at Leopardstown while jockey Gary Carroll shows a solid strike-rate at the track. By Awtaad, who has a 12% overall win rate, he carries a KTB Fit of 47. With no course win on record and the race lacking an obvious leader, his run-style will only become clear on the day.
Spanish View KTB Fit 47/100
Spanish View showed little on debut when finishing ninth of 11 over this trip at the Curragh. The yard has a modest 6% strike rate at Leopardstown from 86 runs. With only one run on the clock and limited data overall this is very much a watching brief. Usually held up with limited evidence, he remains unproven on good to firm and has no course form on record. His KTB Fit of 47 places him on a par with several others but the debut effort offered little encouragement.
Kilconnell KTB Fit 45/100
Kilconnell is a newcomer with no racecourse form to go on. The yard has a modest 6% strike rate from 18 runs at Leopardstown. Data confidence is low so the assessment relies mainly on pedigree and sales background. By Too Darn Hot, who has a 14% overall win rate, he lines up from stall 3 with a KTB Fit of 45. Trainer and jockey combine with a 12% strike rate together though the lack of experience makes this a leap into the unknown.
The rest of the field
Dear TheodosiaKTB Fit 45/100
Dear Theodosia has shown very little in two starts so far, finishing out of the frame both times including when 11th on this track. The first-time headgear is a possible positive but the small sample means there is little else to go on. The trainer's modest 6% strike-rate at Leopardstown adds no encouragement.
Battle ReadyKTB Fit 44/100
Battle Ready has only one run to his name so he remains very much an unknown quantity. The yard has a 10% strike rate at Leopardstown from a huge sample of 1705 runs. Trip looks no better than fair on what he has shown so far and the going remains an open question with such limited evidence.
Buck JonesKTB Fit 44/100
Buck Jones showed very little on his sole start over 7½f and now drops back in trip to 7f with the same result last time. The yard has a 10% strike rate from 1705 runs at Leopardstown. Data confidence is low and with only one run on the board this is very much a watching brief.
The Green HelmetKTB Fit 44/100
The Green Helmet showed fair promise when third on debut over 6f and backed that up with a solid seventh in a stronger race last time. He now steps up to 7f for the first time which asks a fresh question. Trainer Andrew Slattery has a 7% strike rate from 204 runs at Leopardstown.
Essence Of TimeKTB Fit 43/100
Essence Of Time is a newcomer whose assessment rests entirely on pedigree and sales background. The yard's record at Leopardstown is modest with a 5% strike rate from 348 runs. Connections will be hoping the colt can show enough on debut to justify his pedigree.
TogetherwearefreeKTB Fit 43/100
Son of Blue Point out of a useful 6f winner who is a half-sister to Group-placed performers. Cost 150,000 euros as a yearling. Connections are always to be respected here and the trainer has a solid 12% strike rate from over a thousand runs at Leopardstown, though this remains a leap into the unknown on debut with low-confidence data.
Sovreigns JoyKTB Fit 42/100
Sovreigns Joy showed little after starting slowly on debut over this trip. The yard's modest 3% strike rate at Leopardstown from 58 runs offers no encouragement. With only one run on the clock and a wide draw in stall 14 there is very little to go on.
LetmeentertainyouKTB Fit 41/100
Letmeentertainyou showed little on his 5f debut and now steps up markedly in trip as well as class. The yard's modest 4% strike-rate at Leopardstown from a large sample offers no encouragement. With only one run on the board this is very much an unknown at this stage.
BlitogueKTB Fit 41/100
Blitogue showed modest promise when fifth on debut over this trip. The yard has only two runs at Leopardstown which is too small a sample to judge and the horse remains lightly raced with plenty to learn. Data confidence is low so this runner should be treated with caution.
RomanceKTB Fit 39/100
Has shown little so far with two modest efforts at this trip. The yard has a 0% strike rate from 11 runs at Leopardstown. Data confidence is low given the small sample and limited evidence.
Lucy's PromiseKTB Fit 35/100
Lucy's Promise is a modest performer who has failed to land a blow in four starts so far, finishing no closer than seventh. She steps up from 6f to 7f for the first time today, which asks a fresh question of her. The yard's modest 5% strike rate from 478 runs at Leopardstown adds little encouragement.
KTB verdict
Banks Of The Boyne is the KTB Selection. He has shown fair form without winning in five starts and was placed when tried over this trip earlier in the season, with the step up from 6f looking sensible on pedigree and the way he has been running. In a steadily-run race where being handy pays, his ability to produce an effort late should serve him well. The main dangers are the debutants and lightly-raced types such as Melchizedek, Togetherwearefree and Kilconnell, whose pedigrees and connections demand respect even with limited racecourse evidence.
KTB Selection Banks Of The Boyne
This is the narrative read of the 5:27 Leopardstown. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Leopardstown racecard. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Why is Banks Of The Boyne the selection despite having no wins?
He has shown fair form without winning in five starts and was placed when tried over this trip earlier in the season. Stepping up from 6f today looks a sensible move on pedigree and the way he has been running, and he has the highest KTB Fit score of 51.
How will the race be run given the lack of a leader?
It is likely to be a steadily-run, tactical affair where being handy pays. Most principals are held-up types who produce their effort late, so the ability to quicken off a steady gallop will be important.
Which trainer has the strongest record at Leopardstown in this field?
Joseph Patrick O'Brien has a 12% strike rate at Leopardstown from 1062 runs. Noel Meade has a 10% strike rate from 1705 runs.
Which horses are stepping up in trip today?
Banks Of The Boyne steps up from 6f, The Green Helmet steps up to 7f for the first time, Letmeentertainyou steps up markedly from 5f, and Lucy's Promise steps up from 6f to 7f.
What headgear is being applied and to which horse?
First-time headgear is being worn by Dear Theodosia.
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