I’ve already posted a preview for Saturday’s UK action on the TXMarkets blog, click here to see those. Now, I’ll try to find a couple of bets at big odds in Ireland. My 2026 Irish Oaks Meeting Curragh tips are below.
2.50 – Scurry Handicap (105 = 10st)
I have covered five of today’s Curragh races for the Racing
Post Spotlights. The horses I have tipped in those races are all too short for my
blog but hopefully one of them might win (although I won't hold my breat). They are Anchor Road
in the 1.10, Stooked in the 1.40, One Look in the 2.15, Cover Up in the 3.25
and Noble Honour in the 5.10.
This is a more suitable race in which to find a big priced
winner (or place) and on this quick ground, I can’t believe Tango Flare, who
won the Bold Lad for us last year at 50/1, is being dismissed by the oddsmakers
again. I thought he’d be around 10/1 for this after his Fairyhouse win and
close second behind Big Gossey in a listed race over 6f here last time but he’s
been chalked up at 28s.
However, with all that being said, he is at his very best over
6f and the extra half-furlong here might just stretch him so instead, I have
decided to go for another overpriced looking horse in Moltophino.
Trained by John Kinsella, this 5yo son of Profitable didn’t
enjoy the smoothest of passages when a beaten favourite in this last year. He was
still only beaten 3.75l for the win off a mark of 89 and this time, he is 6lb
lower.
This gelding has won here before, beating Keke by 3l in a 6f
premier handicap off 79 in May 2025, his only previous win. He went close off
his revised 10lb higher mark a couple of times after that success last season,
including in a valuable handicap at Cork and it looks like Kinsella has possibly
had this in mind as his first big target of the season.
His last run here, over 5f, was an excellent effort considering
he stumbled at the start and he should be well suited by the step back up to
this trip. On his seasonal return he got to within 3l of Headmaster, who is
well fancied here, and he is now 10lb better off with that rival. So, at odds
of 22/1, Moltophino is the each way selection.
2026 Irish Oaks Meeting Curragh Tip: Moltophino e/w @
22/1 (5 places) NAP
4.35 – Irish Oaks (Group 1)
Whenever I finish my tips for the TXMarkets blog, the first
thing I do at 6pm is check to see if Tom Segal has put up any of my selections.
If he has, it rarely ends well but today, when I went to check his fancies I
was gutted to see he had put up Sparan Nua for this.
I’ve been a huge fan of this filly ever since she won on
debut and after watching it, I said to a couple of mates that she could be the
one to put Jim Bolger back on the big stage. Since then, she bolted up at
Gowran and landed a Group 3 at Cork and Maurice Regan has splashed the cash to
purchase her. She was 10/1 when I looked this afternoon but since Pricewise
tipped her, she is now no bigger than 15/2. What a nightmare.
I’m too pissed off to put up anything else now. I really
hope she wins, for Jim Bolger especially. He’s a legend and he’s in the twilight
of his career so it would be brilliant to see him bloody the noses of the mighty
Coolmore machine one more time. The fact that Regan owns the horse would make
it even sweeter. Hopefully she does the business.
2026 Irish Oaks Meeting Curragh Tip: No bet
5.45 – WTW Willis Handicap (80 = 10st)
I have often written of my disdain for backing handicap
debutants. They are completely different races compared to maidens, where maybe only three or
four horses will be actually trying, and it can take a horse a run to get used
to the more competitive nature of a handicap.
Lamar Canyon, a 5f maiden winner at Dundalk back in May
(beat Focaccia), made his handicap debut at Cork on his next start. He found
things happening too quickly and could never land a blow, but I would imagine
he learned plenty from that initial experience against more seasoned
campaigners.
The handicapper dropped him 2lb to 80 for that run and while
that makes him close to top weight here, Adam Browne-Souza, who rode a winner
for this outfit at Down Royal earlier this week, takes off 7lb so he only carries
9st 3lb here.
There are questions he has to answer, such as whether he is
going to be effective on turf. His pedigree suggests that he should be. His
Dawn Approach dam was a 6f winner on good ground and she’s a half sister to a
firm ground American winner. His sire won his G2 on good ground too so there’s
no reason why these conditions shouldn’t suit.
Lamar Canyon isn’t one for maximum stakes, especially given
his draw in 18, but at 28/1 he is worth throwing a few pennies at e/w.
2026 Irish Oaks Meeting Curragh Tip: Lamar Canyon e/w @ 28/1 (5 places)
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