6:15 Cork
A competitive 0-100 handicap hurdle over 2m1f at Cork on good ground features a maximum field of 26 runners, many of them with placed form but few recent winners. The KTB Fit ratings highlight a tight top five, headed by Small Bucks on 67, with Cloudio, Gino Bella, Theanniversary Man and Jay Pee M all rated in the low-to-mid 60s and 50s. Several runners come with first-time headgear, while course form and good-ground ability will be key factors in a race where the yard records at Cork vary markedly.
How the race shapes up
With a large field and a pace shape that suggests a truly-run affair, expect several prominent racers and front-runners to contest the early lead, including the likes of Gino Bella, Jay Pee M and Getaway Henry. Small Bucks and Cloudio are likely to track the pace from mid-division, while hold-up performers such as Theanniversary Man may need a strong gallop to come into it late. The key question is whether the prominent types can dictate matters or if the race will fall to a closer exploiting any early burn-up in a truly-run contest.
The KTB Fit ranking
- 1Small Bucks KTB Selection67/100Small Bucks is a useful sort who has won over this trip and at Cork.
- 2Cloudio63/100Useful performer who has shown enough in four starts this year to suggest he can be competitive off his current mark.
- 3Gino Bella62/100Useful performer who has placed without winning at this trip and on this ground.
- 4Theanniversary Man58/100Theanniversary Man is a fair sort who won on his only previous visit to Cork and has also scored at today's trip.
- 5Jay Pee M54/100Useful performer who has won over this trip and at this track.
- 6Northern Ruler53/100Useful performer who has been out of form for some time with a string of poor efforts including on his most recent start.
- 7Kelly's Cosmos52/100Useful performer on his day but has failed to build on an early promise and looks vulnerable again.
- 8Dictionary Corner52/100Useful performer who has twice run creditably at this track without troubling the judge.
- 9Bruise Hill52/100Fair performer who has shown little in three runs since switching to hurdling.
- 10Footstepstoglory50/100Fair performer who showed some encouragement when second over this trip last time out.
- 11Eaglewood49/100Eaglewood is a useful performer who has won once over today's trip from eight attempts.
- 12Ray Gun49/100Useful performer on his day but has been struggling for form lately with a string of poor efforts including two pulled up.
- 13Let It Settle49/100Let It Settle is a fair performer on paper but has been out of form for some time and finished well beaten or fell on both previous starts at Cork.
- 14Bob The Builder48/100Bob The Builder is a fair performer on his best days but has been well held in both starts this season and finished a remote tenth on his only previous visit to…
- 15Maxicourt48/100Maxicourt is a fair performer who has failed to win in 13 starts and showed little spark when pulled up last time.
- 16Laurie Blue47/100Laurie Blue is a useful performer on his day but arrives in modest form having shown little spark in two runs this year.
- 17Getaway Henry47/100Getaway Henry is a fair performer who won last time out having been placed on his previous two completed starts.
- 18Miss Gitana46/100Miss Gitana is a useful performer on her day with a solid record on good ground that includes two wins and four places from 12 starts.
- 19Stily46/100Stily is a fair performer who has shown consistent placed form at this trip without winning.
- 20Drumadeise45/100Drumadeise has shown little in three runs to date and remains a fair maiden at best on the balance of what is known.
- 21Lunar Landscape44/100Lunar Landscape is a fair performer who has shown some spark on good ground, placing twice from four runs.
- 22Urban War43/100Useful performer who has been struggling for form lately with a string of poor efforts including a heavy defeat last time.
- 23Maralinga40/100Maralinga is a fair performer on his day but arrives in poor form having been beaten a long way in all five starts this year.
- 24El Regalo37/100Fair performer who has failed to trouble the judge in any of his last five starts and was well held when eighth over course and distance on his only previous vi…
- 25Avandra36/100Modest performer who has shown a bit of spark on his last two starts but remains winless after 19 runs.
- 26Doyen Og32/100Doyen Og is a modest performer who has shown only minor promise on good ground and at this trip.
The contenders
Small Bucks KTB Fit 67/100
Small Bucks is a useful sort who has won over this trip and at Cork. He has shown little spark in three starts this year though his recent efforts leave him with something to prove. The yard has a solid record at this track. The five-year-old has a course win from three runs here and his record on good ground reads one win from ten starts with two placed efforts. Trainer P E Collins operates at a 17% strike rate at Cork with an A/E of 1.66 from 12 runs. Recent form of 0P-740 suggests he needs to rediscover his spark but he remains the KTB selection.
Cloudio KTB Fit 63/100
Cloudio is a useful performer who has shown enough in four starts this year to suggest he can be competitive off his current mark. He has already placed over this trip and finished a solid second here on his only visit to Cork. First-time headgear is now fitted while both trainer and jockey have respectable records at the track. The seven-year-old is unproven on good ground having had no previous runs on it. Trainer Oliver McKiernan has a 10% strike rate at Cork with an A/E of 1.05 from 83 runs, while jockey Phillip Enright is on 8% with an A/E of 0.92 from 680 rides. Their combined record reads 28 wins from 371 rides with an A/E of 0.84.
Gino Bella KTB Fit 62/100
Gino Bella is a useful performer who has placed without winning at this trip and on this ground. Has shown up well at Cork in the past and the yard's record here is solid enough. First-time headgear is now applied. The six-year-old has been placed twice from three runs on good ground without winning and has a placed effort from two visits to Cork. Trainer Patrick T Foley has a 10% strike rate at the track with an A/E of 1.15 from 40 runs, while claiming jockey Alan O'Sullivan is on 9% with an A/E of 0.8 from 45 rides. Their combined record stands at one win from 19 rides with an A/E of 0.70.
Theanniversary Man KTB Fit 58/100
Theanniversary Man is a fair sort who won on his only previous visit to Cork and has also scored at today's trip. He has been off since pulling up in May and his record on good ground shows placed efforts but no win from five starts. The trainer has a solid record here while the jockey's strike-rate is modest. The seven-year-old has recent form of 611-P4 and showed promise when fourth on his latest start. Trainer James M Barcoe has a 9% strike rate at Cork with an A/E of 1.41 from 44 runs, and jockey Kevin Sexton is on 8% with an A/E of 0.84 from 170 rides.
Jay Pee M KTB Fit 54/100
Jay Pee M is a useful performer who has won over this trip and at this track. Recent form has been patchy with a pulled-up and a fifth on his last two starts while the trainer's modest record here adds a negative. Jockey has a solid strike-rate at Cork but the horse is unproven on good ground. The seven-year-old has a win from seven runs at Cork and recent form of 360-5B. Trainer Terence O'Brien has a 6% strike rate at the track with an A/E of 0.53 from 154 runs, while jockey John Shinnick is on 9% with an A/E of 1.06 from 68 rides. Their combined record reads 26 wins from 239 rides with an A/E of 0.89.
The rest of the field
Northern RulerKTB Fit 53/100
Northern Ruler is a useful performer who has been out of form for some time with a string of poor efforts including on his most recent start. He has never won or placed in three attempts at this trip and is 0-2 on good ground so far. First-time headgear is now fitted while both trainer and jockey have modest records at Cork.
Kelly's CosmosKTB Fit 52/100
Kelly's Cosmos is a useful performer on his day but has failed to build on an early promise and looks vulnerable again. He has run twice here without placing and his record on good ground is also modest with no wins or places from four starts. First-time headgear is an interesting addition but the yard and jockey both have below-average records at Cork.
Dictionary CornerKTB Fit 52/100
Dictionary Corner is a useful performer who has twice run creditably at this track without troubling the judge. Drops back from 2m4f to a trip he has tried twice without success, which asks a fresh question. Trainer strikes at 5% here from a big sample while the jockey is still seeking a first Cork winner from five rides.
Bruise HillKTB Fit 52/100
Bruise Hill is a fair performer who has shown little in three runs since switching to hurdling. Has been well held both starts at this track and now drops back in trip as an unknown. Trainer's modest record here adds little encouragement.
FootstepstogloryKTB Fit 50/100
Footstepstoglory is a fair performer who showed some encouragement when second over this trip last time out. Steps up from a recent 6f run and has placed form at the distance though remains winless in five attempts. Trainer has a modest 6% strike rate at Cork while the jockey fares slightly better with an 8% record here.
EaglewoodKTB Fit 49/100
Eaglewood is a useful performer who has won once over today's trip from eight attempts. He has run just once at Cork, finishing sixth, while the trainer has a 0% strike rate from 24 runs here and the jockey is operating at 4% from 92 rides. He has shown little on good ground in two starts.
Ray GunKTB Fit 49/100
Ray Gun is a useful performer on his day but has been struggling for form lately with a string of poor efforts including two pulled up. He has never won or placed in two runs at Cork and the trainer's modest 4% strike rate here adds little encouragement. First-time headgear is reached for while he remains unproven on good ground and has failed to make the frame in five attempts at this trip.
Let It SettleKTB Fit 49/100
Let It Settle is a fair performer on paper but has been out of form for some time and finished well beaten or fell on both previous starts at Cork. The trainer's modest 9% strike rate here from a big sample is matched by the jockey's 6% from 18 rides, and the horse has shown little on good ground in two attempts. Dropping back in trip today asks a fresh question after a recent longer run, though he is now 0-7 at this distance.
Bob The BuilderKTB Fit 48/100
Bob The Builder is a fair performer on his best days but has been well held in both starts this season and finished a remote tenth on his only previous visit to Cork. The yard has a solid 16% strike rate here from 32 runs yet the jockey is still seeking her first success from 13 rides at the track. He has placed once from three runs on good ground and is now tried at this trip for the fourth time without having won or looked particularly threatening.
MaxicourtKTB Fit 48/100
Maxicourt is a fair performer who has failed to win in 13 starts and showed little spark when pulled up last time. He has been out of the frame in all four runs at Cork and has a modest record on good ground from limited attempts. The drop back in trip is an interesting question but the yard and rider both have low strike rates here.
Laurie BlueKTB Fit 47/100
Laurie Blue is a useful performer on his day but arrives in modest form having shown little spark in two runs this year. He steps up in trip for the first time in a while having been placed over this distance before without winning and first-time headgear is now fitted. The trainer has only one previous run at Cork so that remains an unknown while the jockey has a solid 14 percent strike rate here from a big sample.
Getaway HenryKTB Fit 47/100
Getaway Henry is a fair performer who won last time out having been placed on his previous two completed starts. He has run well enough on his three visits to Cork without winning and handles good ground having scored twice from nine attempts. First-time headgear is now fitted while the yard has yet to strike at this track from eight runners.
Miss GitanaKTB Fit 46/100
Miss Gitana is a useful performer on her day with a solid record on good ground that includes two wins and four places from 12 starts. She has won over today's trip in the past but steps back up in distance from 1m5f last time and now tries first-time headgear. The yard is 0-8 at Cork while the jockey is 0-37 here and she was well held on her only previous run at the track.
StilyKTB Fit 46/100
Stily is a fair performer who has shown consistent placed form at this trip without winning. He has been competitive on good ground with two places from three starts though he arrives here off the back of a pulled-up effort. The trainer has a 0% strike-rate from 107 runs at Cork.
DrumadeiseKTB Fit 45/100
Drumadeise has shown little in three runs to date and remains a fair maiden at best on the balance of what is known. The yard records a solid 11% strike rate at Cork from a smallish sample while the 7 lb claimer is still seeking a first winner here from eight rides. Trip looks fine on paper yet the overall form offers little encouragement.
Lunar LandscapeKTB Fit 44/100
Lunar Landscape is a fair performer who has shown some spark on good ground, placing twice from four runs. He has been out of form for much of the past year though and remains winless in four starts at this trip. The trainer has yet to strike at Cork from ten runs while the jockey operates at a modest 8% strike rate here.
Urban WarKTB Fit 43/100
Urban War is a useful performer who has been struggling for form lately with a string of poor efforts including a heavy defeat last time. He has shown ability on good ground in the past but is 0-4 at this trip and now tries headgear for the first time. The yard's modest record at Cork adds to the doubts.
MaralingaKTB Fit 40/100
Maralinga is a fair performer on his day but arrives in poor form having been beaten a long way in all five starts this year. He has shown little at this track or trip and the trainer's modest record at Cork offers no encouragement. The jockey has a solid strike rate here though and the horse has at least won on good ground in the past.
El RegaloKTB Fit 37/100
El Regalo is a fair performer who has failed to trouble the judge in any of his last five starts and was well held when eighth over course and distance on his only previous visit here. Steps back up in trip having been outpaced over shorter last time but has never won or placed on good ground in four attempts. First-time headgear is reached for while both trainer and jockey have modest strike rates at Cork.
AvandraKTB Fit 36/100
Avandra is a modest performer who has shown a bit of spark on his last two starts but remains winless after 19 runs. He has placed once on good ground and at this trip without ever looking like taking a race, while first-time headgear is now fitted to try and spark further improvement. Trainer and jockey both have modest records at Cork.
Doyen OgKTB Fit 32/100
Doyen Og is a modest performer who has shown only minor promise on good ground and at this trip. He has been well beaten on his only previous visit to Cork and the yard's poor record here adds to the negatives. First-time headgear is the main hope but the overall profile remains unconvincing.
KTB verdict
Small Bucks is the KTB selection in a race where several principals have claims but questions to answer. The selection is a useful sort who has won over this trip and at Cork, with the yard holding a solid record at the track that gives him the edge. He will need to bounce back from three modest starts this year but the figures suggest he can do so. Cloudio, with first-time headgear and a previous second at the track, and Gino Bella, who has shown up well at Cork before and now tries headgear, look the main dangers, while Theanniversary Man and Jay Pee M cannot be ruled out on their course form.
KTB Selection Small Bucks
This is the narrative read of the 6:15 Cork. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Cork racecard. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horse has won both over today's trip and at Cork?
Small Bucks has won over this trip and at Cork.
How many of the principals are wearing first-time headgear?
Cloudio and Gino Bella are both wearing first-time headgear.
Which trainer has the strongest strike rate at Cork among those with principals in the race?
P E Collins has a 17% strike rate at Cork with an A/E of 1.66 from 12 runs.
Which horse has the best recent course form at Cork among the principals?
Theanniversary Man won here on his only previous visit to Cork.
How many runners in the full field are trying first-time headgear?
Nine runners are trying first-time headgear: Cloudio, Gino Bella, Northern Ruler, Kelly's Cosmos, Ray Gun, Laurie Blue, Getaway Henry, Miss Gitana, Urban War, El Regalo, Avandra and Doyen Og.
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