6:40 York
This Class 3 EBF Restricted Novice Stakes over 7f at York brings together a field of eight two-year-olds, most of whom have very limited racecourse experience. The KTB Fit ratings are tightly bunched between 44 and 52, underlining how little separates the principals on what is known so far. With the pace shape rated unclear and confidence low, the race lacks a clear map and several runners step up or drop in trip or class, adding further layers of uncertainty.
How the race shapes up
The pace shape is unclear with insufficient run-style evidence across the field to read the race with any confidence. Sweet Iris and Travellers Girl are both usually held up and tend to produce their efforts late, though the data is limited. How the race unfolds will depend on which of the debutants or lightly raced runners chooses to take the initiative, posing the key question of whether the race will be run at a genuine pace or become a tactical affair.
The KTB Fit ranking
- 1Sweet Iris KTB Selection52/100Sweet Iris has only one run to her name so the form picture remains thin.
- 2Diplomacy46/100Son of Kodiac who cost 62,000 euros as a yearling.
- 3Special Operations46/100Special Operations is a debutant for Tim Easterby whose yard has a modest 6% strike rate from over 2000 runs at York.
- 4The First Drop45/100Placed second on debut over this trip at a lesser track.
- 5The Resdev Rocket44/100The Resdev Rocket showed little at debut when finishing eighth over this trip.
- 6Rule Of The Agency44/100Rule Of The Agency showed little on debut over 7.5f and now drops back in trip to 7f with just one previous run at today's distance.
- 7Travellers Girl44/100Modest performer who has shown consistent form in three runs over 6f, finishing no worse than third each time.
- 8Coral Cove44/100Coral Cove showed promise when second on debut over this trip.
The contenders
Sweet Iris KTB Fit 52/100
Sweet Iris has only one run to her name so the form picture remains thin. The Richard and Peter Fahey yard posts a 9% strike rate from 43 runs at York while Oisin Orr is operating at 6% from 191 rides here. She steps up from 6f to 7f today which asks a fresh question. The trainer and jockey combination shows a 14/90 record with an A/E of 1.02. Held up in her style of running, she usually produces her effort late though the evidence is limited. This is a step up in class and she remains unproven on good to firm ground with no previous course form.
Diplomacy KTB Fit 46/100
Diplomacy is a son of Kodiac who cost 62,000 euros as a yearling. He is a half-brother to a couple of winners but nothing of real note. Connections have a modest record at York and this debutant is hard to weigh up with so little to go on. The Michael and David Easterby yard is 5% at the track from 129 runs while Billy Garritty strikes at 8% from 121 rides. By Showcasing, who has a 10% overall win rate, the colt has no course win on record and the yard and jockey figures point to a modest overall profile.
Special Operations KTB Fit 46/100
Special Operations is a debutant for Tim Easterby whose yard has a modest 6% strike rate from over 2000 runs at York. The booking of Sean Kirrane is a plus as he strikes at 8% from 76 rides here. With no racecourse form to go on the pedigree and sales background will decide how much interest there is. By Churchill, who has an 11% overall win rate, the colt has no course win on record. The trainer and jockey record stands at 91/874 with an A/E of 0.87 and the yard's long-term York figures remain modest.
The First Drop KTB Fit 45/100
The First Drop was placed second on debut over this trip at a lesser track. The yard has a modest 6% strike-rate at York from 88 runs while the jockey is operating at 4% from 257 rides here. With only one run on the board the form has to be treated with real caution. He is stepping up in class having been competitive on good to firm when placed on his sole start. The trainer and jockey record is 4/18 with an A/E of 1.08 and there is no course form on record.
The rest of the field
The Resdev RocketKTB Fit 44/100
The Resdev Rocket showed little at debut when finishing eighth over this trip. Connections and jockey both have modest records at York and the yard has sent out plenty of two-year-olds here without much success. With only one run on the board the form is impossible to assess with any confidence. He is stepping up in class and remains unproven on good to firm with no course form.
Rule Of The AgencyKTB Fit 44/100
Rule Of The Agency showed little on debut over 7.5f and now drops back in trip to 7f with just one previous run at today's distance. The yard's 6% strike rate from over 2000 runs at York and David Allan's 7% from nearly 900 rides here both point to modest course figures. Everything about this lightly-raced colt remains tentative given the low data confidence and small sample. He is unproven on good to firm with no course form on record.
Travellers GirlKTB Fit 44/100
Travellers Girl is a modest performer who has shown consistent form in three runs over 6f, finishing no worse than third each time. She steps up to 7f for the first time today which asks a fresh question. Trainer has a 4% strike rate from 202 runs at York while jockey is on 7% from 258 rides here. Usually held up and producing her effort late, she has been competitive on good to firm and is stepping up in class with no course form.
Coral CoveKTB Fit 44/100
Coral Cove showed promise when second on debut over this trip. The yard has a modest 3% strike rate at York from 31 runs while Shoemark is 7% from 89 rides here. With only one run on the board and low data confidence the form must be treated with caution. Dropping in class, he has been competitive on good to firm but has no course form on record.
KTB verdict
Sweet Iris is the KTB Selection in a race where so many runners bring minimal experience or modest course records. Her held-up style may suit if the race develops into a sprint for the line, and the Fahey yard's solid A/E at York offers some encouragement despite the step up in class and trip. The main dangers are The First Drop and Coral Cove, both of whom showed promise when placed on debut over today's distance, though their form must be treated with real caution given the limited evidence and modest York records of their connections. Travellers Girl brings the most experience but also steps up in trip and class in a contest that is difficult to read with confidence.
KTB Selection Sweet Iris
Morning odds
Best available price per runner, captured 00:00 UTC, 24 Jul. These are a morning snapshot and will have moved — see the live racecard for current prices.
| Runner | Morning price | Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|
| Sweet Iris | 20/1 | William Hill |
| Diplomacy | 40/1 | Bet365 |
| Special Operations | 25/1 | Bet365 |
| The First Drop | 5/2 | William Hill |
| The Resdev Rocket | 50/1 | Bet365 |
| Rule Of The Agency | 40/1 | Bet365 |
| Travellers Girl | 11/4 | Bet365 |
| Coral Cove | 11/10 | Midnite |
This is the narrative read of the 6:40 York. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the York racecard. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horse is stepping up in trip from 6f to 7f?
Sweet Iris and Travellers Girl are both stepping up from 6f to 7f today.
How many runners in the field have already raced over today's 7f trip?
Four runners have previous experience over 7f: The First Drop, The Resdev Rocket, Rule Of The Agency and Coral Cove.
Which trainers have the lowest strike rates at York among those represented?
James Owen has a 3% strike rate at York from 31 runs, Roger Fell is on 4% from 202 runs, and the Easterby yards are 5-6% at the track.
Which horses are held up in their run style?
Sweet Iris and Travellers Girl are usually held up and produce their effort late, though the evidence for both is limited.
Who has the strongest trainer-jockey strike rate combination at York in this race?
The Michael and David Easterby yard with Billy Garritty on Diplomacy shows 8% for the jockey at York, while Tim Easterby with Sean Kirrane on Special Operations is also 8% for the jockey.
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