6:10 Gowran Park
The Edward Doran's Birthday Handicap at Gowran Park brings together a field of 13 for this 7f contest on good to firm ground. It is a race featuring largely modest performers, several of whom are trying first-time headgear in an attempt to find improvement, with the KTB Fit Scores tightly bunched between 60 and 37. Morehampton stands out on the numbers as the selection, carrying a 60 Fit rating alongside a course win over today's trip, while several others bring recent placed form or track experience but carry question marks over the surface or current spark.
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. With the majority of the field, including the top principals, tending to be held up and produce their efforts late, the race is likely to develop into a test of timing from off the pace. The key question is whether any horse can get into a rhythm early enough without over-racing in a field where prominent positioning may prove an advantage on this track.
The KTB Fit ranking
- 1Send Harry60/100Modest performer who has shown little spark in recent runs and now tries first-time headgear in a bid to spark some improvement.
- 2Morehampton KTB Selection60/100Morehampton is a fair 3 year old who has already won over this trip and at this track from just nine starts.
- 3Ohailbhic54/100Fair performer who arrives in decent form having won twice and placed once from his last four starts.
- 4Alfred Tennyson52/100Fair performer who has been largely out of form this season with a string of modest efforts.
- 5Reimagined52/100Modest performer who has shown little in eight starts and was well held when fourth at Naas last time.
- 6Bofa Beach51/100Modest performer who has shown a bit of ability on his two runs at this track, finishing third on the latest of them.
- 7Summer Snow50/100Modest performer who has won twice at this track from six runs and also has five wins from thirteen starts at this trip.
- 8Bundle Of Interest50/100Modest performer who has shown some ability around this track without winning, finishing placed on one of three starts here.
- 9Caitouna48/100Modest performer who has won once over this trip from four attempts.
- 10Fortuity44/100Modest performer who showed his best form when winning over this trip on his second start.
- 11Tokyo Treasure44/100Modest performer who has shown little spark in four runs to date and was well held when seventh on return at this track last month.
- 12Neo Smart40/100Modest performer who has dropped in the weights but has looked out of sorts for some time and finished seventh of eight last time.
- 13Ballymagreehan37/100Modest performer who has won once from three runs at Gowran Park.
The contenders
Send Harry KTB Fit 60/100
Send Harry is a modest performer who has shown little spark in recent runs and now tries first-time headgear in a bid to spark some improvement. He has won over today's trip but is unproven on good to firm ground and makes his first start at Gowran Park. The trainer's modest 4% strike rate here is offset by the jockey's solid 11% record at the track. Usually held up and producing his effort late, he will need the race to fall right in what looks a steadily-run affair. The recent form figures of -06249 underline his current level.
Morehampton KTB Fit 60/100
Morehampton is a fair 3 year old who has already won over this trip and at this track from just nine starts. He has been below form on his last three outings and showed no spark on good to firm ground the only time he tried it. The yard and jockey both have solid records here, with the trainer posting an 18% strike rate at Gowran and the jockey a 14% mark. Usually held up and producing his effort late, he is drawn in stall five and could be well placed to strike if the race develops as expected. His course record of one win from two starts adds to the appeal.
Ohailbhic KTB Fit 54/100
Ohailbhic is a fair performer who arrives in decent form having won twice and placed once from his last four starts. He steps up to 7f for the first time today having been placed at the trip without winning, while he has shown little on his only previous run on good to firm ground. The trainer has a solid 14% strike rate here from 101 runs but the jockey is operating at just 6% from a big sample. Typically settling in midfield, he brings recent form figures of -83117 and could be involved if the steadily-run pace plays to his strengths. His lack of course form remains a slight unknown.
Alfred Tennyson KTB Fit 52/100
Alfred Tennyson is a fair performer who has been largely out of form this season with a string of modest efforts. He has won over this trip in the past but showed no spark on his only previous try on good to firm ground. First-time headgear is now fitted while both trainer and jockey have below-average records at Gowran. Usually held up and producing his effort late, he will need to find more than his recent form figures of 720603 suggest. The combination of headgear and a tactical race could suit if he can rediscover some spark.
Reimagined KTB Fit 52/100
Reimagined is a modest performer who has shown little in eight starts and was well held when fourth at Naas last time. The trainer has a solid 14% strike rate at Gowran but the horse is unproven on good to firm and has never won over this trip. First run at the track adds another unknown. Usually held up and producing his effort late, he is drawn wide in stall eleven which may not be ideal in a race where being handy pays. His recent form figures of 9-0394 reflect a career that has yet to ignite.
The rest of the field
Bofa BeachKTB Fit 51/100
Bofa Beach is a modest performer who has shown a bit of ability on his two runs at this track, finishing third on the latest of them. He drops back from a mile to 7f today having failed to win in two previous attempts at the trip, with the trainer recording an 11% strike rate from over a thousand runs here. Usually held up, he remains unproven on good to firm.
Summer SnowKTB Fit 50/100
Summer Snow is a modest performer who has won twice at this track from six runs and also has five wins from thirteen starts at this trip. He drops back from a mile today having shown very little in five runs this year, with only one previous run on good to firm ground bringing no joy. First-time headgear is now fitted while the trainer remains winless from fifteen runners here.
Bundle Of InterestKTB Fit 50/100
Bundle Of Interest is a modest performer who has shown some ability around this track without winning, finishing placed on one of three starts here. He steps up to 7f for the first time today having been placed at the trip before, though his sole run on good to firm ground brought no joy. First-time headgear is now fitted.
CaitounaKTB Fit 48/100
Caitouna is a modest performer who has won once over this trip from four attempts. Recent form has been patchy with a win at this track sandwiched between lesser efforts and she now tries headgear for the first time. The trainer's modest record at Gowran is a negative while Colin Keane brings a solid 16% strike rate at the course.
FortuityKTB Fit 44/100
Fortuity is a modest performer who showed his best form when winning over this trip on his second start. He has run creditably in two of his last three starts but now drops back from 1m while wearing headgear for the first time. The trainer and jockey both have solid records at Gowran but this one is unproven on good to firm ground.
Tokyo TreasureKTB Fit 44/100
Tokyo Treasure is a modest performer who has shown little spark in four runs to date and was well held when seventh on return at this track last month. He steps up from 6½f to 7f for the first time today, a trip at which he has placed once without winning. First-time headgear is now fitted while the yard's poor 2% strike rate at Gowran offers little encouragement.
Neo SmartKTB Fit 40/100
Neo Smart is a modest performer who has dropped in the weights but has looked out of sorts for some time and finished seventh of eight last time. First-time headgear is now tried as he drops back to 7f where he has won in the past though his latest efforts have come over much further. The trainer has a solid 13% strike rate here from a huge sample while the jockey is less established with a 6% record from 34 rides.
BallymagreehanKTB Fit 37/100
Ballymagreehan is a modest performer who has won once from three runs at Gowran Park. He drops back to 7f today having been placed without winning at the trip previously, though his sole run on good to firm ground brought no joy. The trainer's 5% strike rate from 136 runs at the track adds a note of caution.
KTB verdict
Morehampton is the KTB Selection. A fair 3-year-old with a win already over this trip and at Gowran, he brings the strongest combination of ability and track knowledge despite being below form on his last three starts. The yard and jockey's solid records at the venue further strengthen his claims in a race that could suit his held-up style if the steadily-run pace allows him to weave through. His main dangers are Ohailbhic, who arrives in decent form with recent wins, and Alfred Tennyson, who tries first-time headgear off a fair mark. The remainder of the field largely consists of modest types with questions to answer on the ground or current form.
KTB Selection Morehampton
This is the narrative read of the 6:10 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 already won over this course and distance?
Morehampton has won here over today's trip from two starts at the track.
How many of the field are trying first-time headgear?
Send Harry, Alfred Tennyson, Summer Snow, Bundle Of Interest, Caitouna, Fortuity, Tokyo Treasure and Neo Smart are all wearing headgear for the first time.
Which runners are proven winners over 7f?
Send Harry, Morehampton, Caitouna, Fortuity, Neo Smart and Ballymagreehan have all won over today's trip.
Which trainer has the strongest strike rate at Gowran Park in this race?
J P Murtagh has an 18% strike rate at Gowran from 332 runs, the highest among the trainers represented.
Which horse has the most course experience at Gowran?
Summer Snow has six runs at the track, winning twice, while Bundle Of Interest has three runs and Bofa Beach two.
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