6:48 Sligo
The 6:48 at Sligo is an 18-runner McDermott Farm Machinery Handicap Hurdle over 2m4f107y on good ground. A competitive field mixes useful performers with several fair types, many of whom are stepping up or down in trip while first-time headgear is a recurring theme. The KTB Fit scores point to a clear top two, headed by the selection Wild Mandate on 65, with Phoenix Arizona close behind on 61, while the remainder cluster between 54 and 35.
How the race shapes up
The pace shape lacks a natural leader, pointing to a steadily-run, tactical contest in which being handy should pay dividends. With the majority of the field, including all five principals, tending to be held up and produce their efforts late, the race is likely to develop into a test of timing and positioning off a modest gallop. The key question is whether those racing prominently can steal an uncontested advantage or if the closers will be able to weave their way through in the straight.
The KTB Fit ranking
- 1Wild Mandate KTB Selection65/100Useful performer who has won once from seven starts at Sligo.
- 2Phoenix Arizona61/100Phoenix Arizona is a useful performer who has shown consistent placed form here at Sligo, finishing second twice and third once from four runs.
- 3Love Like This54/100Fair performer who has been a regular at Sligo and has placed three times here without winning.
- 4Laska Du Breuil54/100Useful performer who won a handicap at Punchestown last time after a string of modest efforts.
- 5Firstupbestdressed52/100Fair performer who has been out of form this year with two unplaced efforts after a break.
- 6Georginas Jet52/100Fair performer who has shown some consistency lately with a win and two placed efforts from her last five starts.
- 7Gortmore Lady49/100Fair mare who has shown consistent placed form at this trip without winning.
- 8Ranting And Raven48/100Fair performer who has been below form in recent starts and now tries a new trip with first-time headgear.
- 9Beacon Bypass45/100Beacon Bypass is a fair four-year-old who has shown very little in four starts to date, finishing well beaten on each of his last three outings.
- 10Katie's Casper44/100Fair performer who has been consistent enough without winning lately, finishing second at this trip on good ground last season.
- 11Clever Court41/100Clever Court is a fair performer who showed his best when winning at this trip on good ground earlier this season.
- 12Hob's Angel40/100Fair performer who has been placed without winning at this trip and on this ground.
- 13Sekakarma40/100Sekakarma is a fair performer who has been competitive without winning at this trip and on good ground.
- 14Mother Ship40/100Mother Ship is a fair sort who has shown some ability here at Sligo with a placed effort from two runs and has also placed at today's trip.
- 15Move It On Over40/100Modest performer who has shown very little in nine starts and arrives here on the back of a poor recent sequence.
- 16Max Time37/100Modest performer who has been out of form for some time with a string of pulled-ups and poor finishes.
- 17Glaoinn An Airgead35/100Modest performer with a poor recent record of F0-0P0 and no win in 18 starts.
- 18El Arco35/100Modest performer who has struggled to make an impact in seven starts and was well held when last seen over 3m2f.
The contenders
Wild Mandate KTB Fit 65/100
Wild Mandate is a useful performer who has won once from seven starts at Sligo. He showed fair form when winning over fences at Down Royal in May but was pulled up last time over three miles, and now drops back in trip to a distance he has never tried. First-time headgear is fitted while the trainer's modest 8% strike rate at this track from a large sample is noted. The 7-year-old is usually held up and produces his effort late. Alan King takes the ride, a jockey with a 13% strike rate at Sligo from 30 rides.
Phoenix Arizona KTB Fit 61/100
Phoenix Arizona is a useful performer who has shown consistent placed form here at Sligo, finishing second twice and third once from four runs. He steps up in trip today having been competitive over shorter distances without winning, and first-time headgear is now applied. The trainer holds a solid 12% strike rate at the track from 42 runs. The 7-year-old is usually held up and produces his effort late. Thomas O'Connor takes the mount, though he is yet to score at Sligo from seven rides.
Love Like This KTB Fit 54/100
Love Like This is a fair performer who has been a regular at Sligo and has placed three times here without winning. He stays further than today's trip and has never won on good ground, though he remains competitive at this level. Trainer's modest strike rate at the track is backed by a large sample of runners. The 8-year-old is usually held up and produces his effort late. Brian Barry is in the saddle, a jockey with a 0% strike rate at Sligo from six rides.
Laska Du Breuil KTB Fit 54/100
Laska Du Breuil is a useful performer who won a handicap at Punchestown last time after a string of modest efforts. Drops back in trip today with first-time headgear and has only run once on good ground without placing. Trainer has a solid 13% strike rate at Sligo from a large sample. The 5-year-old is usually held up and produces his effort late. Keith Donoghue rides, boasting a 16% strike rate at the track from 94 rides.
Firstupbestdressed KTB Fit 52/100
Firstupbestdressed is a fair performer who has been out of form this year with two unplaced efforts after a break. Has already tried this trip twice without success and now steps up in distance again while wearing headgear for the first time. Trainer holds a modest 9% strike rate at Sligo from 11 runs. The 6-year-old is usually held up and produces his effort late.
The rest of the field
Georginas JetKTB Fit 52/100
Georginas Jet is a fair performer who has shown some consistency lately with a win and two placed efforts from her last five starts. She has placed once from three runs at Sligo without winning and steps up in trip today having been placed at this distance on one of three attempts. Trainer Paul John Gilligan holds a 10% strike rate here from 173 runs while jockey Jack Gilligan has limited experience at the track.
Gortmore LadyKTB Fit 49/100
Gortmore Lady is a fair mare who has shown consistent placed form at this trip without winning. She steps up in distance today having last run over 2m2f, while first-time headgear is also tried. Trainer has an 11 percent strike rate from 47 runs at Sligo.
Ranting And RavenKTB Fit 48/100
Ranting And Raven is a fair performer who has been below form in recent starts and now tries a new trip with first-time headgear. Trainer Gavin Cromwell has a solid 13% strike rate at Sligo from 142 runs while jockey Conor Stone-Walsh is unproven at the track. Placed twice from six runs on good ground so the surface is not an issue but he has never won at this distance.
Beacon BypassKTB Fit 45/100
Beacon Bypass is a fair four-year-old who has shown very little in four starts to date, finishing well beaten on each of his last three outings. He steps up markedly in trip today and tries headgear for the first time, both of which pose fresh questions. The trainer has only four runs at Sligo so the local record is too small a sample to judge.
Katie's CasperKTB Fit 44/100
Katie's Casper is a fair performer who has been consistent enough without winning lately, finishing second at this trip on good ground last season. Drops back from 3m today having looked stretched over that distance last time, though the first-time headgear is an unknown. Trainer's modest record at Sligo adds a note of caution.
Clever CourtKTB Fit 41/100
Clever Court is a fair performer who showed his best when winning at this trip on good ground earlier this season. He has been well below that level on his last two starts and now tries first-time headgear after a drop back from three miles. The trainer's modest record at Sligo adds a note of caution.
Hob's AngelKTB Fit 40/100
Hob's Angel is a fair performer who has been placed without winning at this trip and on this ground. Recent form is mixed and the yard's modest record at Sligo adds no encouragement. First run here today with only limited placed form on good to go on.
SekakarmaKTB Fit 40/100
Sekakarma is a fair performer who has been competitive without winning at this trip and on good ground. He showed his best effort for some time when second last time out but has a patchy recent record overall. The trainer has a 0% strike rate from nine runs at Sligo.
Mother ShipKTB Fit 40/100
Mother Ship is a fair sort who has shown some ability here at Sligo with a placed effort from two runs and has also placed at today's trip. He has been out of form on his last few starts and the trainer's modest record at the track adds little confidence. First-time headgear is now applied on good ground where he has been competitive without winning.
Move It On OverKTB Fit 40/100
Move It On Over is a modest performer who has shown very little in nine starts and arrives here on the back of a poor recent sequence. The yard has a 0% strike rate from 17 runs at Sligo while the horse has failed to win or place in seven runs on good ground. Stepping up in trip for the first time today asks a fresh question of a horse that has already looked limited.
Max TimeKTB Fit 37/100
Max Time is a modest performer who has been out of form for some time with a string of pulled-ups and poor finishes. Three runs at Sligo have produced no better than seventh and he is now 0-10 on good ground. First-time headgear is tried as he drops back in trip.
Glaoinn An AirgeadKTB Fit 35/100
Glaoinn An Airgead is a modest performer with a poor recent record of F0-0P0 and no win in 18 starts. Drops back from 3m to a trip he has tried twice without placing, while he is 0-9 on good ground. Trainer has a 5% strike rate from 21 runs at Sligo.
El ArcoKTB Fit 35/100
El Arco is a modest performer who has struggled to make an impact in seven starts and was well held when last seen over 3m2f. Drops back in trip to 2m4½f where he has already been beaten once. Trainer Gordon Elliott has a 16% strike rate from 281 runs at Sligo while first-time headgear is now applied.
KTB verdict
Wild Mandate is the KTB Selection. A useful performer with a winning record at Sligo, he showed fair form when successful over fences at Down Royal in May before a pulled-up effort over three miles last time; the drop back in trip looks suitable and first-time headgear could sharpen him further. The steadily-run affair should suit his usual held-up style, allowing a late run off what is likely to be a tactical gallop. Phoenix Arizona, with his strong placed record at the track, and the recent Punchestown winner Laska Du Breuil head the list of dangers, while Love Like This is another who knows the venue well.
KTB Selection Wild Mandate
This is the narrative read of the 6:48 Sligo. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Sligo racecard. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horse is making its first start in headgear?
Several runners are wearing headgear for the first time, including Wild Mandate, Phoenix Arizona, Laska Du Breuil, Firstupbestdressed, Gortmore Lady, Ranting And Raven, Beacon Bypass, Katie's Casper, Clever Court, Max Time, Mother Ship and El Arco.
How many times has Wild Mandate won at Sligo?
Wild Mandate has won once from seven starts at Sligo.
Which trainer has the strongest strike rate at Sligo in this field?
Gordon Elliott has a 16% strike rate at Sligo from 281 runs, the highest in the field.
Who has never won on good ground among the principals?
Love Like This has never won on good ground, with six places from 20 runs on the surface. Laska Du Breuil has one run on good without winning or placing.
Which horse has placed most often at Sligo without winning?
Love Like This has placed five times from seven runs at Sligo without winning, while Phoenix Arizona has placed three times from four runs at the track.
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