Skip to content
Trainer profile

Karl Thornton

1,097 runners in the lifetime window · 73 individual horses
As at 9 Nov 2026 · KTB archive: 2005–present, updated daily
Last runner 5 days ago
Last 5 seasons Lifetime (2011→)
from 1 Jan 2008 — the aggregate floor: every horse in the window has a complete captured career behind it
104–1,097
Wins / Runs
9.5%
Strike rate
n=1,097
265 (24%)
Placed
1.19
Fair A/E
n=1,096 · 0.96 incl. margin
−341.99
£1 level stake
n=1,097 at SP · −31.2%
£1.21m
Prize money (window)
Strike by season
13.3%
KTB Yard Profile

Sends out around 60 runners a season, across both codes, winning with 10% of them — beating the margin-free market read across the lifetime window (Fair A/E 1.19).

Deterministic profile computed from 1,097 archived runs (lifetime window) · updated 9 Nov 2026
KTB at a glance Fires Jul–Aug 42.2% when favourite Donagh Meyler: 12.7% from 283 Claiming riders: 10.4% Sends off the favourite in 8% of races
The read

It is weakest at Navan (0% over 53 runners) — the widest gap in the record. New recruits from other stables on their first run struggle at 2.3% (n=43, Fair A/E 0.38). Donagh Meyler rides 26% of the entries and edges the yard's average (12.7% vs 9.5%, A/E 1.53) — the partnership beats the margin-free market read. The yard also reads well in Class 4 (19.4%, n=72). The record reads poorly over 1m – 1m1f — 0% over 38 runners, 9.5pts below the baseline. 3 Group and Graded wins sit in the archive record — the biggest prize the yard has landed: the TRI Equestrian Handicap Chase at Leopardstown (Feb 2016, £29,500). The stable star of the record: Shanroe (GB) — 11 wins from 43 runs for the yard. Seasonally, the yard fires Jul–Aug.

Written from the figures on this page — every claim carries its sample. Descriptive, not a tip.

Yard patterns

the angles behind the record · vs 9.5% baseline
Fresh · 61+ days off
7.4%−2.1
n=189 · A/E 1.14 · £1 −24.68
New recruits · first run for the yard
2.3%−7.2
n=43 · A/E 0.38 · £1 −35.00
Debutants · first career start
3.2%−6.3
n=31 · A/E 1.06 · £1 −10.00
First-time headgear · true-first definition
6.7%−2.8
n=30 · A/E 1.12 · £1 −14.50
Headgear returns · back on after a bare run
8.6%−0.9
n=58 · A/E 1.23 · £1 −4.67
When favourite
42.2%
n=90 · A/E 1.48 · £1 +24.60
Claiming riders · a claimer in the saddle
10.4%+0.9
n=402 · A/E 1.07 · £1 −151.55
Group / Graded races · pattern & listed
8.3%−1.2
n=36 · A/E 1.51 · £1 −4.50

Each tile is the record in that situation vs the 9.5% baseline — descriptive splits with the sample always shown, for you to weigh. Tiles under 30 runs render muted. Headgear figures use the true-first definition (first gear appearance in the captured career); returns are gear back on after a bare run. Claiming riders are runs where the booked rider carried a weight claim. Group / Graded covers pattern and listed races. The same beliefs, tested across every yard and every GB and Irish race since 2005: Racing myths.

Notable angles

vs their own baseline
On last-time-out winners 26.7% vs 9.5% · n=101
In Class 4 19.4% vs 9.5% · n=72
At Navan 0% vs 9.5% · n=53
Over 1m – 1m1f 0% vs 9.5% · n=38
At Naas 0% vs 9.5% · n=35
At Gowran Park 1.9% vs 9.5% · n=53
This filter uses derived form angles computed for 65.1% of the archive so far (as at 9 Nov 2026); the sample will grow as sequencing completes.
Descriptive splits ranked by divergence × sample — insight, not instruction. Every angle carries its N; nothing under 30 runs qualifies. Rows within 2pts of the baseline appear only when the market-relative read (Fair A/E) diverges, and show it.

Record by conditions

same window as header

Race type

TypeRWSR£1
Hurdle 524 48 9.2% −171.55
Flat 307 24 7.8% −120.48
Chase 256 28 10.9% −74.08
NH Flat 10 4 40% +24.12

Going

GoingRWSR£1
Soft 354 31 8.8% −123.04
Good 339 38 11.2% −75.97
Heavy 150 12 8% −63.25
Good to Soft 106 13 12.3% −19.63
Standard (AW) 96 6 6.3% −55.10
Good to Firm 52 4 7.7% −5.00

Courses

CourseRWSR£1
Fairyhouse 158 20 12.7% +58.18
Down Royal 108 13 12% −18.94
Dundalk (AW) 80 4 5% −48.35
Limerick 73 8 11% −2.42
Leopardstown 55 6 10.9% −11.50
Navan 53 0 0% −53.00
Gowran Park 53 1 1.9% −49.25
Cork 47 3 6.4% −17.90
Punchestown 44 3 6.8% −33.25
Perth 37 6 16.2% −6.00
Naas 35 0 0% −35.00
Clonmel 34 3 8.8% −20.23
Bellewstown 31 2 6.5% −18.00
Tipperary 25 5 20% −0.62
Sligo 23 2 8.7% −8.00

Class

ClassRWSR£1
Class 4 72 14 19.4% +16.08
Class 1 33 2 6.1% −10.50
Class 5 26 6 23.1% −0.63
Class 6 21 3 14.3% −7.42
Class 2 13 1 7.7% −7.50
Class 3 10 1 10% −3.50

Market position

In the bettingRWSRA/E£1
Favourite 102 43 42.2% 1.53 +33.35
2nd–3rd fav 159 23 14.5% 0.98 −24.34
4th–6th fav 263 23 8.7% 1.12 −66.00
7th+ in betting 573 15 2.6% 0.96 −285.00
Fair A/E per band is the tell: near 1.00 the market had it priced right; well above, the wins came where the market didn't expect them.

Rows below n=30 are shown faded — a small sample is a fact, not a trend. Every figure carries its N.

Jumping record

completion over obstacles · same window as header
85.8% completed · 780 obstacle runners (chases & hurdles)
CodeRCompFURPUBDOth
Chase 256 75.8% 14 9 38 0 1
Hurdle 524 90.6% 11 2 33 3 0
Chases and hurdles only — bumpers have no obstacles, so completion is not a question there. F fell · UR unseated rider · PU pulled up · BD brought down · Oth covers refusals, slip-ups, run-outs and the rare disqualification. Non-runners are excluded throughout. Rows under n=30 are shown faded. A descriptive record, not a tip.

Horses trained

same window as header · most-raced first
HorseRWPlLast ran
Rich Belief (GB)from James Bethell 57 7 21 4 Nov 26
Oromo (IRE)from T Stack 55 3 10 4 Aug 22
Guido Reni (IRE)from Joseph G Murphy 44 1 15 26 Aug 22
Shanroe (GB) 43 11 18 1 Oct 26
Bearly Legal (IRE) 42 5 13 3 Mar 19
Colms Dream (IRE) 35 7 14 29 Dec 19
Round Tower (IRE) 35 2 12 8 Oct 18
Paper Lantern (IRE)from C Byrnes 32 4 11 6 May 21
Manuka (IRE)from M D O'Callaghan 32 4 13 31 Aug 18
Where's Frankie (IRE) 29 5 8 4 Apr 26
Kashi (FR)from Andrew Balding 27 2 7 9 May 24
Shanroe Al C (IRE) 27 8 11 4 Jul 23
Showing the 60 most-raced of the 73 horses sent out in this window — each ran at least 4 times. Horses with fewer runs aren't listed; search finds any horse since 2005. Runs, wins and places only: a strike rate or a return on a handful of runs is noise, so none is quoted per horse — each horse's full record is on its own page.
Where they came from · where they went next

Of the 60 horses listed, 33 arrived from another yard in our archive, most often from Joseph G Murphy (3) and M Halford (2); 27 had their first archived run for this yard.

9 have since run for another yard; 51 have no later run for another yard in our archive.

Read from each listed horse's whole archived career (2005 onwards), not only this window, and counted over the horses listed above, not the whole string. “First archived run” means our archive holds nothing earlier, not that the horse was unraced. A horse with no later run elsewhere may still be here, be off the track, or have run somewhere our archive does not cover — none of that is asserted.

Current form

significance-gated

Last 14 days

Small sample
1 from 7
Only 7 runners in the last 14 days — too few to read against the baseline (gate: n≥15). The card states the sample and stays neutral.

When the yard fires

strike by month, lifetime
JFMAMJJASOND
166681010111381079
A jumps yard: the season runs Oct–Apr. Muted months are small samples (under 30 runs) — read them with the caution they deserve.

Jockey bookings

same window · biggest samples first
Go-to riderDonagh Meyler
26% of all rides
12.7% SR · A/E 1.53
RiderRWSR£1
Donagh Meyler 283 36 12.7% −48.71
Robbie Colgan 168 9 5.4% −83.12
Mr J C Barry 111 14 12.6% −32.96
Ben Harvey 38 2 5.3% −18.50
E J O'Connell 30 3 10% +7.50
Muted rows are under 30 rides and sit behind "Show all".

Career highlights

lifetime archive, 2011→
104
Archived wins
3
Pattern / graded wins
£1.21m
Prize money
2016
Best season · 13 wins
Colms Dream (IRE) — TRI Equestrian Handicap Chase (Grade B) Leopardstown · Feb 2016 · Grade B
£29,500
Shanroe (GB) — CAA Stellar Chester Stakes (Listed) Chester · Sep 2023 · Listed
£28,010
Wakea (USA) — Billecart-salmon Handicap Hurdle (0-150) (grade C) Down Royal · Nov 2016 · Grade C
£23,600
Notable horses
Shanroe (GB) Shanroe Al C (IRE) Rich Belief (GB) Colms Dream (IRE) Bearly Legal (IRE) Where's Frankie (IRE)

Sires in the string

progeny record · win % by ground and trip
Court Cave (IRE) 10.8% · 10–93
Progeny have won 10.1% of 7,962 runs since 2008 (553 horses). Weakest on Heavy going: 6.8% from 937.
Make Believe (GB) 12.3% · 7–57
Progeny have won 11.1% of 3,628 runs since 2019 (298 horses).
High Chaparral (IRE) 5.5% · 3–55
Progeny have won 10.3% of 8,730 runs since 2008 (682 horses). Weakest over 2m5f – 3m (all codes): 6.2% from 419.
Kodiac (GB) 3.8% · 2–53
Progeny have won 10.4% of 23,603 runs since 2010 (1,666 horses). Strongest on Firm going: 14.3% from 147. Weakest over 2m1f – 2m4f (all codes): 7.1% from 254.
Excelebration (IRE) 2.3% · 1–44
Progeny have won 9% of 3,606 runs since 2016 (244 horses).
Multiplex (GB) 25.6% · 11–43
Progeny have won 9.1% of 4,181 runs since 2011 (291 horses).
Top line: the yard's own record with each sire's runners (win %, wins–runs), same window as the header; faded under 30 runs. Beneath it: every run by that sire's progeny in our archive since 2008, as at 9 Nov 2026 — what they have done, not a forecast. A going or a distance is named only where at least 100 progeny runs sit 3 or more points from the sire's own win rate. Distance bands cover Flat and jumps together.

The record

latest 50 of 1,097 · newest first

The latest 50 of 1,097 archived runners, newest first. The full record runs from 23 December 2011 to 4 November 2026.

DateCourseHorseRaceFinishSP
04 Nov 26 Dundalk (AW) (IRE) Onyeisi (GB)J: Jack Cleary Now Racing Every Wednesday At Dundalk Handicap10.5f · Standard · 14 ran 13th 33/1
04 Nov 26 Musselburgh Rich Belief (GB)J: Jason Hart Joe Fanning Fond Farewell Handicap StakesClass 6 · 16f · Soft · 11 ran 1st 100/30
04 Nov 26 Musselburgh Grey Fable (IRE)J: Jason Hart Burton Roofing Merchants Handicap Stakes (Div I)Class 6 · 12.5f · Soft · 11 ran 3rd 7/2
03 Nov 26 Fairyhouse (IRE) A Year Older (IRE)J: Ben Harvey Christmas Parties At Fairyhouse December 12th Handicap Hurdle24f · Good To Yielding · 12 ran 11th 6/1
03 Nov 26 Fairyhouse (IRE) Shanroe Nancy (IRE)J: Simon Torrens William Hill Challenge Series Handicap Hurdle (Div I)20f · Good To Yielding · 15 ran 6th 16/1
31 Oct 26 Down Royal (IRE) Attaboyarchie (IRE)J: Miss E J Sweeney Start Your Racing TV Free Trial Now Handicap Steeplechase24f · Good · 12 ran 6th 22/1
28 Oct 26 Dundalk (AW) (IRE) Rich Belief (GB)J: J M Sheridan Happy Halloween Handicap12f · Standard · 13 ran 8th 28/1
05 Oct 26 Fairyhouse (IRE) Grey Fable (IRE)J: Ben Harvey Sign Up To GavinLynchRacing.com (C & G) Maiden Hurdle16f · Good · 11 ran 5th 33/1
01 Oct 26 Bellewstown (IRE) Grey Fable (IRE)J: Ben Coen BOYLE Sports Handicap (Div II)12.5f · Soft To Heavy · 11 ran 6th 9/1
01 Oct 26 Clonmel (IRE) Shanroe (GB)J: Daniel King Slievenamon Claiming Hurdle19.5f · Good · 13 ran F 10/1
01 Oct 26 Clonmel (IRE) Rich Belief (GB)J: Ben Harvey Slievenamon Claiming Hurdle19.5f · Good · 13 ran 5th 9/1
19 Sep 26 Navan (IRE) Shanroe (GB)J: Ben Harvey SIS, Supporting Irish Racing Handicap Hurdle16f · Good · 13 ran 10th 33/1
18 Sep 26 Dundalk (AW) (IRE) Onyeisi (GB)J: Jack Cleary BAR 1 Betting 'Bet €10 Get €70' Handicap10.5f · Standard · 14 ran 9th 33/1
16 Sep 26 Clonmel (IRE) Rich Belief (GB)J: Mr D McGill John Thomas McNamara Series (Q.R.) Handicap17f · Yielding · 7 ran 3rd 7/2
12 Sep 26 Musselburgh Boxing Great (IRE)J: Jason Hart Scots Association Musselburgh Gold Cup Handicap Stakes (gbbplus Race)Class 4 · 18f · Good · 7 ran 1st 5/6F
05 Sep 26 Navan (IRE) Monastere (GB)J: Jack Cleary Navan Racing Festival Early Bird Tickets On Sale Now Handicap5f · Good · 18 ran 16th 28/1
04 Sep 26 Down Royal (IRE) Boxing Great (IRE)J: Adam Caffrey Grant Thornton Ulster Cesarewitch Handicap18.5f · Good · 13 ran 1st 100/30F
02 Sep 26 Navan (IRE) Onyeisi (GB)J: Jack Cleary Navan Handicap (Div II)8f · Good · 16 ran 12th 80/1
26 Aug 26 Bellewstown (IRE) Rich Belief (GB)J: Ben Harvey Tote Guarantee, Never Beaten By SP Claiming Hurdle20.5f · Good · 13 ran 2nd 8/1
13 Aug 26 Beverley Grey Fable (IRE)J: Jason Hart Middle Distance Handicap StakesClass 5 · 12f · Good To Firm · 5 ran 2nd 3/1

Drawn from the whole archive (2005 onwards), so it can include runs outside the window the header statistics cover. Non-runners are not listed. A finish shown in letters is a non-completion (F fell · UR unseated · PU pulled up · BD brought down).

KTB’s figures

the forward record · since 5 Oct 2026

KTB’s figures on this yard’s runners since 3 Nov 2026: the KTB Selection in 3 runs (won 1, 1 did not run) · fastest on KTB Speed in 1 run (won 1) · to 4 Nov 2026.

Each pick was a KTB figure’s choice before the off — the published KTB Selection, the top-rated horse on KTB Rating, the fastest on KTB Speed — settled against the result the next morning and never worked out again; “did not run” is counted apart. GB and Irish races only. A record of weeks so far: read it as a count, not a verdict.

Quick answers

What is Karl Thornton's strike rate?
Karl Thornton has won 104 of 1,097 runners since 2008, a strike rate of 9.5% (as at 9 November 2026). Figures are computed from our own results archive.
Which course does Karl Thornton do best at?
Perth by strike rate: 6 wins from 37 runners (16.2%) since 2008. Read from the 15 courses with the most runners on the same basis, and only those with at least 30 — a small sample cannot top the list, and a rarely-visited course is not in the comparison.
Who rides most for Karl Thornton?
Donagh Meyler, with 283 runners since 2008 — 26% of the total. That pairing has won 36 (12.7%).
Is Karl Thornton in form?
Too few runners in the last 14 days to read — 7 runners, which is not a sample we will draw a conclusion from.
What is Karl Thornton's Fair A/E?
1.19, from 1,096 runners with a computed fair probability since 2008. Fair A/E compares actual wins with a margin-stripped market expectation, so 1.00 is par: above it the wins came at bigger prices than the margin-free market implied, below it they did not.
Fair A/E compares wins with a margin-stripped market expectation. Favourite-heavy samples — top yards, leading riders — naturally read a few points warm, so 1.05 means "beat the margin-free market read", not "the market underrates this by 5%". Three sample sizes are reported and never blended: runs (n), the ROI basis (n at SP), and the fair-A/E basis (n with a computed fair probability).

Strike rate is wins over all runs (n). ROI is £1 level stakes at SP over runs with a parseable price (n at SP). Fair A/E is wins over margin-stripped market expectation, over runs with a computed fair probability (n fair). The three Ns can legitimately differ and are always shown. Figures as at 9 November 2026, computed from our own results archive (2005 onwards; aggregates from 2008).