6:30 Leopardstown
The 6.30 at Leopardstown is a Listed contest over 1m6f on good to firm ground, featuring a compact field of nine three-year-olds. The KTB Fit scores are tightly bunched at the top, with Wyman heading the numbers on 56, followed closely by Piazza San Marco on 55, Cannes and Abbotsford both on 54. Overall the KTB assessment points to a race where progressive form, course familiarity and the ability to handle the step up in trip will be key factors.
How the race shapes up
The pace shape is defined by a lone leader with high confidence, suggesting one horse will secure an uncontested lead that could prove difficult for closers to overcome. Piazza San Marco is the clear front-running type who tends to make the running or race prominently, while the majority of the field – including Wyman, Cannes, Abbotsford, Madbadanddangerous, Teologia, Highwayman and Trojan Fighter – prefer to settle in mid-division or be held up. Keepsgettingbetter typically races in midfield. The key question is whether the uncontested leader can dictate terms throughout or if the closers can bridge the gap over this extended trip.
The KTB Fit ranking
- 1Wyman KTB Selection56/100Wyman is a useful 3 year old who has won two of his last three starts and showed his liking for this track when scoring here earlier in the season.
- 2Piazza San Marco55/100Smart performer who showed useful form when winning a Curragh maiden on his second start before holding his own in two Group races.
- 3Cannes54/100Useful performer who has already won here from two runs at Leopardstown.
- 4Abbotsford54/100Useful performer who showed clear improvement when winning last time out over 1m4f.
- 5Madbadanddangerous51/100Useful performer who has won his last two starts and arrives here in form.
- 6Teologia50/100Teologia is a useful performer who has won three of her last four starts and arrives in solid form.
- 7Highwayman48/100Useful performer who has shown his best form when stepped up in trip, winning a handicap over 1m3.5f last time out.
- 8Trojan Fighter47/100Trojan Fighter is a fair 3-year-old who has shown mixed form across five runs, including a win and two placed efforts but also two lesser displays.
- 9Keepsgettingbetter43/100Fair performer who has shown consistent placed form this season and has already been competitive twice at this track.
The contenders
Wyman KTB Fit 56/100
Wyman is a useful three-year-old who has won two of his last three starts and showed his liking for this track when scoring here earlier in the season. He now steps up in trip to 1m6f with first-time headgear applied, and that distance increase remains an unknown at this stage. The Mrs John Harrington yard posts a 10% strike rate at Leopardstown from 1833 runs while Shane Foley is 11% from 1009 rides at the track. He has a record of one win from one run on good to firm and has already won once from two starts at Leopardstown. Typically settling in mid-division, his recent form reads 55-311 and he carries the KTB Selection tag on a Fit score of 56.
Piazza San Marco KTB Fit 55/100
Piazza San Marco is a smart performer who showed useful form when winning a Curragh maiden on his second start before holding his own in two Group races. He was a respectable fourth over a mile here on his most recent outing and now steps up markedly in trip for the first time. Aidan O'Brien holds a 20% strike rate at Leopardstown from 2981 runs, though Wayne Lordan is 8% from 1260 rides at the track. He has no experience of good to firm ground and has recorded one run at the course, finishing fourth without placing. As the front-running type who tends to make the running or race on the pace, he looks set to take the field along in what is rated a lone-leader pace shape. His recent form is 7146- and he is rated 55 on KTB Fit.
Cannes KTB Fit 54/100
Cannes is a useful performer who has already won here from two runs at Leopardstown. His recent form of 2-2103 shows solid placed efforts mixed with a couple of lesser runs, while stepping up to 1m6f today asks a fresh question. Joseph Patrick O'Brien holds a 12% strike rate at the track from 1062 runs and Declan McDonogh is 9% from 1503 rides here. He is placed once from two runs on good to firm and is stepping up in class. Usually held up and producing his effort late with high confidence in that run-style, he is rated 54 on KTB Fit.
Abbotsford KTB Fit 54/100
Abbotsford is a useful performer who showed clear improvement when winning last time out over 1m4f. He steps up in trip to 1m6f today which asks a fresh question. Dermot Weld has a 17% strike rate at Leopardstown from 3166 runs while Chris Hayes is 8% from 1211 rides at the track. He has no runs on good to firm and no course form on record. Usually held up and producing his effort late with medium confidence, his recent form reads 8-21 and he is rated 54 on KTB Fit.
The rest of the field
MadbadanddangerousKTB Fit 51/100
Madbadanddangerous is a useful performer who has won his last two starts and arrives here in form. He showed his best effort when second over course and distance at this track on his only previous visit. The step up to 1m6f is a new question while Noel Meade's 10% strike rate from 1705 runs at Leopardstown tempers expectations. Usually held up with high confidence, he has no experience of good to firm.
TeologiaKTB Fit 50/100
Teologia is a useful performer who has won three of her last four starts and arrives in solid form. She steps up in trip again today having last run over 1m5f, which asks a fresh question of her stamina. First-time headgear is now applied and Joseph Patrick O'Brien has a 12% strike rate at Leopardstown from 1062 runs. Usually held up with high confidence, she has no course form on record and no experience of good to firm.
HighwaymanKTB Fit 48/100
Highwayman is a useful performer who has shown his best form when stepped up in trip, winning a handicap over 1m3.5f last time out. He now faces a big step up in class and tries 1m6f for the first time, which asks a fresh question. Joseph Patrick O'Brien has a 12% strike rate from 1062 runs at Leopardstown. Usually held up with high confidence, he has no experience of good to firm and no course form.
Trojan FighterKTB Fit 47/100
Trojan Fighter is a fair 3-year-old who has shown mixed form across five runs, including a win and two placed efforts but also two lesser displays. He steps up in trip to 1m6f for the first time today, which asks a fresh question of him, while first-time headgear is now applied. P Twomey holds a 25% strike rate at Leopardstown from 79 runs. Usually held up with medium confidence, he has no experience of good to firm and no course form.
KeepsgettingbetterKTB Fit 43/100
Keepsgettingbetter is a fair performer who has shown consistent placed form this season and has already been competitive twice at this track. He steps up to an untried 1m6f for the first time which asks a fresh question, while first-time headgear is now added. Donnacha Aidan O'Brien holds a 10% strike rate here from 153 runs. Typically settling in midfield with high confidence, he is placed once from one run on good to firm.
KTB verdict
Wyman is the KTB Selection. A useful three-year-old who has won two of his last three starts and shown his liking for Leopardstown when scoring here earlier in the season, he brings strong course form into a race where the pace shape looks to favour those who can settle and pounce. The first-time headgear may help him handle the step up to 1m6f. His main dangers are Piazza San Marco, who has the uncontested lead to work with and smart prior form, and Cannes, who has already won at the track and is proven at producing a late effort. Abbotsford, coming off a clear career best, is another who cannot be dismissed.
KTB Selection Wyman
This is the narrative read of the 6:30 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
Which horse is most likely to take the uncontested lead?
Piazza San Marco, whose run-style is front-runner with medium confidence in a lone-leader pace shape.
Which horses are stepping up in trip to 1m6f for the first time?
Wyman, Piazza San Marco, Cannes, Abbotsford, Madbadanddangerous, Highwayman, Trojan Fighter and Keepsgettingbetter are all facing a fresh question at the trip.
How many of the field have previous winning form at Leopardstown?
Wyman and Cannes have both won at the track.
Which trainers have the strongest strike rates at Leopardstown according to the supplied data?
P Twomey has a 25% strike rate from 79 runs, Aidan O'Brien 20% from 2981 runs and Dermot Weld 17% from 3166 runs.
Which horses are wearing first-time headgear?
Wyman, Teologia, Trojan Fighter and Keepsgettingbetter.
18+. Analysis and entertainment only — no guarantee of profit. KTB race previews are published for interest and are not betting advice. Only ever stake what you can comfortably afford to lose, and set your own limits. Free, confidential help: the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 (GamCare.org.uk); in Ireland, the GamblingCare.ie helpline on 1800 936 725. Self-exclude at any time via GAMSTOP.
More from Kickthebookies