7:50 Thirsk
A competitive Class 5 handicap over 7f 218y at Thirsk on good ground features a field of 15, with the KTB numbers highlighting a clutch of modest performers who largely lack progressive profiles. The top five in the KTB Fit rankings are separated by just seven points, underlining how tight the race looks on paper, while first-time headgear is sported by no fewer than nine runners. Style Of Life tops the KTB Fit list at 61 and is the selection, with her proven course record and good-ground prowess the main positives in a race where several hold-up types could be favoured if the pace collapses.
How the race shapes up
With two or more habitual front-runners present and the pace shape assessed as strong with high confidence, the race is expected to be run at a solid gallop from the outset. Style Of Life is likely to take them along from her favourable draw in stall 5, while Degale and Miss Willows could also press forward early. This setup poses the key question of whether the leaders will fold late on, potentially playing into the hands of the numerous hold-up performers such as Up The Jazz, Donna Nook, Alessia Fernanda and Military Leader.
The KTB Fit ranking
- 1Style Of Life KTB Selection61/100Style Of Life is a fair performer who has won both starts at Thirsk and holds a solid record on good ground with two wins and five places from eight runs.
- 2Up The Jazz57/100Modest performer with a solid recent record that includes two wins from his last six starts.
- 3Donna Nook57/100Modest performer who has been consistent rather than progressive this year with a string of mid-division finishes.
- 4Alessia Fernanda55/100Modest performer who has won twice at this trip but is 0-14 on turf and showed only fair form when second of seven at Redcar last time.
- 5Military Leader54/100Modest performer who has won once here from three runs and also has a win on good ground.
- 6Bloodsweatandtyres53/100Modest performer who has shown very little spark in three starts this year after a promising debut win.
- 7Jesmond Dawn52/100Modest performer with a mixed record lately shown by the 723515 figures.
- 8Roaring Ralph51/100Roaring Ralph is a fair handicapper who has been in and out of form this year, winning three times but also finishing out of the frame on his last two starts.
- 9Harswell Ruby51/100Modest performer who has won once from four runs at Thirsk and holds a solid 1-9 record on good ground.
- 10Travis50/100Modest performer who has won once from five runs at Thirsk and holds a solid 3-10 record on good ground.
- 11Green Pursuit50/100Modest performer who has shown little spark in recent starts and now tries first-time headgear from a wide draw.
- 12Mount King48/100Modest performer who has won once from six starts at Thirsk and also has a win at today's trip on his record.
- 13Degale48/100Modest performer who has run four times at Thirsk without winning, his best effort a placed finish.
- 14Palmarian40/100Modest performer who has shown mixed form this year and arrives off the back of an ordinary effort last time.
- 15Miss Willows34/100Miss Willows is a limited performer who has been out of the frame on both previous visits to Thirsk.
The contenders
Style Of Life KTB Fit 61/100
Style Of Life is a fair performer who has won both starts at Thirsk and holds a solid record on good ground with two wins and five places from eight runs. She has won four times at today's trip from 12 attempts and steps back up in distance after a recent run over 7f. First-time headgear is now applied and the trainer holds a 20% strike rate here from 10 runs. The 6-year-old has recent form figures of 1125-0 and is dropping in class from a draw of 5. Harriet Bethell and P J McDonald combine with a 2/13 (15%) record and A/E 0.96, while the mare tends to make the running or race on the pace.
Up The Jazz KTB Fit 57/100
Up The Jazz is a modest performer with a solid recent record that includes two wins from his last six starts. He has won over today's trip though his record on good ground is only average and he has never run here before. The Fahey team operate at a modest 8% strike rate at Thirsk while claiming jockey Ethan Tindall is 0-2 at the track. The 5-year-old has form figures of 236127 and is dropping in class from draw 4. Richard & Peter Fahey and Ethan Tindall(5) have a 3/55 (5%) record with an A/E of 0.47, and the gelding is usually held up and produces his effort late.
Donna Nook KTB Fit 57/100
Donna Nook is a modest performer who has been consistent rather than progressive this year with a string of mid-division finishes. She has won over today's trip on good ground and the first-time headgear is an interesting addition given her exposed profile. Trainer David O'Meara has a solid 14% strike rate at Thirsk from a large sample while Daniel Tudhope is riding the horse for the first time. The 4-year-old has form figures of 941444 and is drawn in stall 14. David O'Meara and Daniel Tudhope combine with a 734/4833 (15%) record and A/E 0.89, and she is usually held up and produces her effort late.
Alessia Fernanda KTB Fit 55/100
Alessia Fernanda is a modest performer who has won twice at this trip but is 0-14 on turf and showed only fair form when second of seven at Redcar last time. Has run just once at Thirsk and was well beaten, while the first-time headgear is an unknown on a horse that has been a bit inconsistent. Trainer Declan Carroll has a 9% strike-rate here from a large sample and jockey Zak Wheatley is 0-11 at the track. The 6-year-old has form figures of -18672 and is drawn in stall 9. Declan Carroll and Zak Wheatley have a 71/710 (10%) record with an A/E of 0.93, and she is usually held up and produces her effort late.
Military Leader KTB Fit 54/100
Military Leader is a modest performer who has won once here from three runs and also has a win on good ground. Recent form is solid with two seconds on his last two starts but he now tries headgear for the first time and is drawn widest in stall 15. Trainer's modest 5% strike rate at Thirsk adds a note of caution. The 5-year-old has form figures of 113222 and is dropping in class. Phillip Makin and Paul Mulrennan combine with a 3/59 (5%) record and A/E 0.45, and the gelding is usually held up and produces his effort late.
The rest of the field
BloodsweatandtyresKTB Fit 53/100
Bloodsweatandtyres is a modest performer who has shown very little spark in three starts this year after a promising debut win. First-time headgear is now applied as he steps up in trip to around a mile for the first time, which asks a fresh question. Brian Ellison has a solid 10% strike rate from 334 runs at Thirsk while jockey Ben Robinson is 0-8 at the track.
Jesmond DawnKTB Fit 52/100
Jesmond Dawn is a modest performer with a mixed record lately shown by the 723515 figures. Has won on good ground and at today's trip but the trainer's modest 6% strike rate at Thirsk from 99 runs suggests this yard rarely fires here. First run at the track and only one win from 11 starts on this surface add to the questions.
Roaring RalphKTB Fit 51/100
Roaring Ralph is a fair handicapper who has been in and out of form this year, winning three times but also finishing out of the frame on his last two starts. He has no win or place from four runs at Thirsk and his record on good ground is modest with just one success from 11 attempts. First-time headgear is now fitted as he steps back up to a trip where he has won five times from 13 starts.
Harswell RubyKTB Fit 51/100
Harswell Ruby is a modest performer who has won once from four runs at Thirsk and holds a solid 1-9 record on good ground. Drops back from 1m2f to a trip she has won at twice from 16 attempts, though her recent form of 645244 suggests she is vulnerable to sharper types. Trainer operates at a 5% strike rate here from 247 runs while jockey Joanna Mason has a 12% record from 92 rides at the track.
TravisKTB Fit 50/100
Travis is a modest performer who has won once from five runs at Thirsk and holds a solid 3-10 record on good ground. Recent form has been consistent rather than progressive with three placed efforts from his last four starts yet he remains winless since 2023. First-time headgear is now tried as he steps back up to 7f where he has placed but never won.
Green PursuitKTB Fit 50/100
Green Pursuit is a modest performer who has shown little spark in recent starts and now tries first-time headgear from a wide draw. Has a bit of placed form on good ground but only a 5th from his one run here and the trainer’s modest 4% strike-rate at Thirsk adds little confidence. Trip is an unknown.
Mount KingKTB Fit 48/100
Mount King is a modest performer who has won once from six starts at Thirsk and also has a win at today's trip on his record. Recent form has been patchy though he did win a similar race at Redcar last month before a below-par effort on his latest start. First-time headgear is now fitted while the yard's modest 8% strike rate at the track is worth noting.
DegaleKTB Fit 48/100
Degale is a modest performer who has run four times at Thirsk without winning, his best effort a placed finish. Drops back to 7f today having won at the trip in the past though his recent form is ordinary. Trainer operates at a 9% strike rate here from 95 runs while the jockey has a solid record at the track.
PalmarianKTB Fit 40/100
Palmarian is a modest performer who has shown mixed form this year and arrives off the back of an ordinary effort last time. Has won over today's trip but is 0-4 on good ground and makes his first start at Thirsk. First-time headgear is now applied.
Miss WillowsKTB Fit 34/100
Miss Willows is a limited performer who has been out of the frame on both previous visits to Thirsk. She has shown some ability on good ground with a win and two places from eight runs, and she has also placed once at today's trip. The yard's poor record at the track adds to the negatives for a horse drawn wide in stall 13.
KTB verdict
Style Of Life is the KTB Selection. She brings the strongest course record to the table having won both starts at Thirsk, pairs that with a good record on this surface, and now drops in class with the first-time headgear applied while likely to set the pace from a good draw. The strong pace expected could play against her if it collapses late, but her proven ability at the trip and venue still make her the one to beat on these terms. The main dangers are the hold-up performers Up The Jazz and Donna Nook, both dropping in class with recent consistency on their side, while Military Leader's course win and solid recent seconds cannot be ignored despite the wide draw and first-time headgear.
KTB Selection Style Of Life
Morning odds
Best available price per runner, captured 00:00 UTC, 14 Aug. These are a morning snapshot and will have moved — see the live racecard for current prices.
| Runner | Morning price | Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|
| Style Of Life | 14/1 | Bet365 |
| Up The Jazz | 10/1 | 7Bet |
| Donna Nook | 9/1 | Bet365 |
| Alessia Fernanda | 16/1 | 7Bet |
| Military Leader | 11/4 | Bet365 |
| Bloodsweatandtyres | 14/1 | 7Bet |
| Jesmond Dawn | 9/1 | 7Bet |
| Roaring Ralph | 12/1 | 7Bet |
| Harswell Ruby | 14/1 | Bet365 |
| Travis | 12/1 | 7Bet |
| Green Pursuit | 12/1 | 7Bet |
| Mount King | 7/1 | 7Bet |
| Degale | 18/1 | 7Bet |
| Palmarian | 20/1 | LiveScore Bet |
| Miss Willows | 25/1 | 7Bet |
This is the narrative read of the 7:50 Thirsk. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Thirsk racecard. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horse has won both its previous starts at Thirsk?
Style Of Life
How many runners in the race are wearing first-time headgear?
Nine
Which trainer has the highest strike rate at Thirsk among those represented?
Harriet Bethell with 20%
What is the course record of the KTB Selection at Thirsk?
1 from 1
Which horse is dropping back from 1m2f to this trip having won here before?
Harswell Ruby
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.
About the A/E figures in this preview. They are the data supplier’s: the winners a trainer or jockey had, divided by the winners the starting prices implied, over the runs in that record. Above 1.0 means more wins than the prices suggested. It is not KTB’s fair A/E, which allows for the bookmakers’ margin and the favourite–longshot bias, and the two are not comparable.
More from Kickthebookies