Race Preview

7:08 Cork

Friday 24 July 2026 ·21 runners KTB Selection: El Fontenaro · 52/100

A large 21-runner handicap over the minimum trip of 6f at Cork on good to firm ground looks a tricky puzzle. The KTB Fit scores are tightly bunched at the top, with two horses sharing the highest mark of 52, underlining the competitive nature of the race and the modest level of the principals. With the pace shape rated as tentative on medium confidence, the race lacks a clear leader on paper and could develop into a bit of a guessing game up front.

How the race shapes up

The pace shape is tentative with only limited evidence of a confirmed front-runner, meaning the early fractions could be modest. El Fontenaro tends to make the running or race prominently, while Jampa Ling is usually to the fore, but the overall read is that several others may settle in mid-division or be held up. This raises the key question of whether the race will be run at a strong enough gallop to suit those coming from off the pace or whether it will play into the hands of those closer to the speed.

The KTB Fit ranking

  1. 1El Fontenaro KTB Selection52/100Limited performer who has been placed a couple of times this season but remains winless after 19 starts.
  2. 2The Cosy Corner52/100Limited performer who has been well beaten in all four starts to date.
  3. 3Billboa51/100Limited performer who has been well below form this season and ran no sort of race when last seen.
  4. 4Dubai Opulence49/100Limited performer who has shown little in five starts to date and was well held again when finishing fourth of six at this track last time.
  5. 5Hastily48/100Hastily is a limited performer who has been out of form for some time with a string of poor efforts.
  6. 6Jampa Ling48/100Limited horse who has shown only modest form across nine starts and looks up against it from a wide draw.
  7. 7Alandownunder47/100Limited performer who has shown little in six starts and was well beaten on his only previous run at Cork.
  8. 8Platino Bianco46/100Platino Bianco is a limited performer who has shown bits of ability on good to firm ground, placing once from two starts.
  9. 9I'm Spartacus46/100Limited performer who has been a regular at this track and placed on his latest visit here.
  10. 10Love Bomb46/100Limited performer who has been struggling this season and has failed to place in three runs at Cork.
  11. 11Auguste Gusteau46/100Limited performer who has shown little in four starts to date and looks up against it from a wide draw.
  12. 12Heart Of Eternity44/100Modest performer with a string of poor recent efforts including six runs this year without a placing.
  13. 13Captain Ciano42/100Limited performer who has been out of form for some time with a string of poor efforts.
  14. 14Rosato41/100Limited performer who has won three times over this trip from 18 attempts but has struggled for form this year with a string of poor efforts.
  15. 15Whatswrongnow41/100Whatswrongnow is a limited performer who has shown some consistency this year without winning.
  16. 16Snowballs38/100Snowballs is a limited performer who has struggled to make an impact this year with a string of modest efforts.
  17. 17Jazzit37/100Jazzit is a limited performer on the balance of her 12 runs and recent form of 330588.
  18. 18Ballerina Dancer37/100Ballerina Dancer has shown very little in three runs to date and sits right at the bottom of the ability scale for a limited performer.
  19. 19Sovereign Banter35/100Sovereign Banter is a limited performer who has been consistent enough around here with a second and fourth from three Cork runs.
  20. 20You Smiled34/100Limited performer who has shown little in four starts to date and finished well down the field in both runs at this track.
  21. 21Niobite32/100Niobite has shown very little in three starts to date and looks limited on the balance of what she has produced.

The contenders

El Fontenaro KTB Fit 52/100

Form 6-4022 · Jarlath P Fahey · Ronan Whelan

El Fontenaro is a limited performer who has been placed a couple of times this season but remains winless after 19 starts. He has never really fired at Cork in three previous runs and is dropping back in trip today having been placed without winning at this distance before. The trainer operates at a 9% strike rate at Cork with an A/E of 1.19 from 114 runs while the jockey has a 9% strike rate here with an A/E of 0.91 from 364 rides. He has had just one run on good to firm with no win or place and his recent form reads 6-4022. Drawn in stall 5, his run-style as a front-runner who tends to make the running or race on the pace could be significant in a race with a tentative pace shape.

The Cosy Corner KTB Fit 52/100

Form 009-0 · Patrick Magee · Chris Hayes

The Cosy Corner is a limited performer who has been well beaten in all four starts to date. The trainer has an 11% strike rate at Cork with an A/E of 1.76 from nine runs while the jockey records a 7% strike rate here with an A/E of 0.63 from 592 rides. He has no runs on good to firm so remains unproven on the ground and has no course form on record. His recent form figures read 009-0 and at three years old he is relatively inexperienced. The trip looks on the sharp side judged on what he has shown so far and he is drawn in stall 2.

Billboa KTB Fit 51/100

Form 5-7089 · W P Browne · Adam Browne-Souza(7)

Billboa is a limited performer who has been well below form this season and ran no sort of race when last seen. First-time headgear is now tried and the step back up to 6f looks a plus given a previous win at the trip. The trainer has a 6% strike rate at Cork with an A/E of 0.7 from 35 runs and the jockey, claiming 7lb, has a 9% strike rate here with an A/E of 1.28 from 11 rides. He has no runs on good to firm so remains unproven on the ground and his sole previous run at the course resulted in a fifth-place finish. His recent form reads 5-7089 and he is drawn in stall 11.

Dubai Opulence KTB Fit 49/100

Form 89-004 · Miss Natalia Lupini · Colin Keane

Dubai Opulence is a limited performer who has shown little in five starts to date and was well held again when finishing fourth of six at this track last time. The yard has a solid 18% strike rate at Cork from 33 runs while Colin Keane is a reliable booking with a 15% record from 461 rides here. The trip looks about right but the wide draw in stall 17 is far from ideal on this straight track. He has no runs on good to firm so remains unproven on the ground and has no course form beyond that recent effort. His recent form reads 89-004.

Hastily KTB Fit 48/100

Form 09-000 · Tom McGuinness · Julian Pietropaolo(7)

Hastily is a limited performer who has been out of form for some time with a string of poor efforts. He does have solid course connections having won two of his four starts here and he has won both previous runs on good to firm ground. The drop back to 6f is a fresh question while first-time headgear is now tried by a jockey with a 0% strike rate from 19 Cork rides. The trainer has a 14% strike rate at Cork with an A/E of 3.44 from 22 runs. His recent form reads 09-000 and he is drawn in stall 18.

The rest of the field

Jampa LingKTB Fit 48/100

Jampa Ling is a limited horse who has shown only modest form across nine starts and looks up against it from a wide draw. He drops back to 6f having been placed at the trip without winning, though he is unproven on good to firm. The trainer has a 7% strike rate at Cork with an A/E of 0.82 from 85 runs and the jockey has a 4% strike rate here with an A/E of 0.63 from 56 rides. Usually races prominently.

AlandownunderKTB Fit 47/100

Alandownunder is a limited performer who has shown little in six starts and was well beaten on his only previous run at Cork. Dropping back to 6f today raises a fresh question while first-time headgear is also an unknown. The trainer records a 7% strike rate here from 85 runs while the jockey has a 13% strike rate from 16 rides at the track. His recent form reads 89-099.

Platino BiancoKTB Fit 46/100

Platino Bianco is a limited performer who has shown bits of ability on good to firm ground, placing once from two starts. He steps up to 6f today having won at the trip before, though his recent form is patchy and he carries first-time headgear. At Cork he has failed to place in three runs while the trainer has no previous runners here and the jockey operates at an 11% strike rate. His recent form reads 806015.

I'm SpartacusKTB Fit 46/100

I'm Spartacus is a limited performer who has been a regular at this track and placed on his latest visit here. He drops back to 6f having won six times at the trip in the past though his recent form has been patchy. The trainer and jockey both have modest records at Cork. Usually held up. His recent form reads 041604.

Love BombKTB Fit 46/100

Love Bomb is a limited performer who has been struggling this season and has failed to place in three runs at Cork. The trainer and jockey both have solid records at the track but the horse is unproven on good to firm and steps up to 6f for the first time today. Recent form offers little encouragement. Usually held up.

Auguste GusteauKTB Fit 46/100

Auguste Gusteau is a limited performer who has shown little in four starts to date and looks up against it from a wide draw. The trainer at Cork has a solid 9% strike rate from 35 runs while jockey Ben Coen is operating below expectations with a 6% strike rate from 218 rides here. Drops back to 6f today having been beaten on his only previous run at the trip. Usually held up.

Heart Of EternityKTB Fit 44/100

Heart Of Eternity is a modest performer with a string of poor recent efforts including six runs this year without a placing. He drops back to 6f for the first time in a while having shown only placed form once on good to firm. First-time headgear is tried while both trainer and jockey have modest strike rates at Cork.

Captain CianoKTB Fit 42/100

Captain Ciano is a limited performer who has been out of form for some time with a string of poor efforts. He drops back from a mile to an untried 6f while wearing headgear for the first time, which adds uncertainty. The trainer has a modest 5% strike rate at Cork from 165 runs while the jockey records a 7% strike rate from 57 rides here.

RosatoKTB Fit 41/100

Rosato is a limited performer who has won three times over this trip from 18 attempts but has struggled for form this year with a string of poor efforts. He has shown a bit of ability on this track when finishing fourth on his only previous visit but has failed to build on that. The trainer has yet to strike at Cork from seven runs while the jockey has a modest 5% strike rate here from 20 rides.

WhatswrongnowKTB Fit 41/100

Whatswrongnow is a limited performer who has shown some consistency this year without winning. He has been placed twice from three runs at Cork and has form at this trip, though he steps up from 5f today. The trainer has only three runs at the track so the sample is too small to judge while the jockey has a solid 12% strike rate here. Usually held up.

SnowballsKTB Fit 38/100

Snowballs is a limited performer who has struggled to make an impact this year with a string of modest efforts. He has shown no spark at this track and steps up to 6f for the first time in a while having failed to trouble the judge at the trip before. The trainer and jockey both have below-average records at Cork while the horse remains unproven on good to firm ground.

JazzitKTB Fit 37/100

Jazzit is a limited performer on the balance of her 12 runs and recent form of 330588. She steps up to 6f having been placed at the trip without winning, though she is unproven on good to firm ground. The trainer has a modest 5% strike rate from 165 runs at Cork while the jockey has had too few rides here to judge, and this is her first appearance at the track with first-time headgear now applied.

Ballerina DancerKTB Fit 37/100

Ballerina Dancer has shown very little in three runs to date and sits right at the bottom of the ability scale for a limited performer. The drop back from a mile to 6f asks a fresh question while the wide draw in stall 14 is no help. The trainer is operating at a 0% strike rate from 12 runs at Cork.

Sovereign BanterKTB Fit 35/100

Sovereign Banter is a limited performer who has been consistent enough around here with a second and fourth from three Cork runs. He drops back to a trip he has won at before though his recent form has been patchy and he showed little on his only previous go on good to firm. First-time headgear is now applied while both trainer and jockey have modest records at the track.

You SmiledKTB Fit 34/100

You Smiled is a limited performer who has shown little in four starts to date and finished well down the field in both runs at this track. He steps up from 5f to 6f for the first time today while wearing headgear for the first time. The trainer and jockey both operate at an 8% strike rate at Cork.

NiobiteKTB Fit 32/100

Niobite has shown very little in three starts to date and looks limited on the balance of what she has produced. Dropping back from a mile to 6f today asks a fresh question while the wide draw in stall 20 is far from ideal on this straight track. The trainer operates at a 7% strike rate here from a big sample while the jockey is even quieter at 2%.

KTB verdict

El Fontenaro is the KTB Selection. He has been placed a couple of times this season and his front-running style could be an asset in a race where the pace shape is tentative. The selection has course experience even if it has not been his strongest track, and the drop back to 6f is not a complete unknown. The main dangers include Dubai Opulence, who benefits from the booking of Colin Keane and a yard in form at the track despite the wide draw, and I'm Spartacus, who has placed form at Cork and a good record at the trip in the past. Hastily cannot be entirely dismissed given his course wins and record on good to firm.

KTB Selection El Fontenaro

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.

RunnerMorning priceBookmaker
El Fontenaro4/1Bet365
The Cosy Corner9/1BetMGM
Billboa28/1Bet365
Dubai Opulence7/1Bet365
Hastily33/1Bet365
Jampa Ling18/1Bet365
Alandownunder22/1Bet365
Platino Bianco9/1Bet365
I'm Spartacus8/1Bet365
Love Bomb16/1BetTom
Auguste Gusteau14/1William Hill
Heart Of Eternity50/1BetTom
Captain Ciano20/1Bet365
Rosato11/2Bet365
Whatswrongnow13/2Bet365
Snowballs22/1Bet365
Jazzit16/1William Hill
Ballerina Dancer66/1Bet365
Sovereign Banter22/1BetTom
You Smiled33/1BetTom
Niobite40/1Bet365

Questions about this race

Why is the pace shape described as tentative?

There is only thin evidence of a confirmed front-runner in the field and the overall pace read carries medium confidence.

How many runners have previous course form at Cork?

Several runners have course form: El Fontenaro has three previous runs, Billboa one, Whatswrongnow three, I'm Spartacus three, Platino Bianco three, Rosato one, Love Bomb three, Snowballs one, Sovereign Banter three, You Smiled two, Alandownunder one.

Which horses are wearing headgear for the first time?

Billboa, Hastily, Alandownunder, Platino Bianco, Heart Of Eternity, Captain Ciano, Jazzit, Sovereign Banter and You Smiled are all in first-time headgear.

Which horses are proven on good to firm ground?

Hastily has two wins from two runs on good to firm, Platino Bianco has placed once from two starts on the surface, Heart Of Eternity has placed once from one run, Rosato has had one run without placing, Sovereign Banter has had one run without placing and El Fontenaro has had one run without placing.

Who has the strongest trainer record at Cork according to the A/E figures?

Hastily's trainer has an A/E of 3.44 from 22 runs at Cork, the highest in the field.

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