Cork, Tuesday 19 May 2026 — Tips, Angles and Value Picks

Cork, Tuesday 19 May 2026 — Tips, Angles and Value Picks

A tight eight-race card at Cork on good to yielding ground, with forecast rain potentially softening things up as the afternoon goes on. That going angle matters enormously across all three featured races below. The 5f handicap is the standout betting heat of the day and it reads like a genuine puzzle with several horses who have form to recommend them. Let’s get into it.

4:40 — Irish EBF Median Sires Series Maiden (5f, Good To Yielding)

Selection: Alaskan Bear (13/8, Boyle Sports/Betfred)

The form case for Alaskan Bear is as straightforward as it gets at this level. This Kodiac colt chased home a Ballydoyle youngster who has since been aimed at the Coventry Stakes on debut at Naas over 6f on good ground. That is serious juvenile company and he handled it with credit. The question the market will ask is whether dropping to 5f suits him, and that is a fair concern. Kodiac offspring tend to have pace, so the sharper trip may not be the issue it first appears.

The realistic alternative is Bit Of A Buzz at 11/4. The Showcasing colt ran a decent debut third at the Curragh and the form already has substance with the fourth from that race winning at Navan. He will improve, no doubt. But Alaskan Bear’s collateral damage links him to something considerably better and at roughly the same price, the form hierarchy points his way.

Alaskan Bear is the selection at 13/8. The three-place each-way terms are tight for a 13-runner race and the price only goes to 1/5, so this is a win bet.

6:12 — Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden (6f, Good To Yielding)

Selection: Hanney Boy (6/4, Boyle Sports/Betfred)

This is the selection of the card in terms of an identifiable angle. Hanney Boy went off at 28/1 on debut here at Cork over 5f on soft and ran an eyecatcher to finish second behind Edward Thatch. The form has already been franked hard. The third from that race, Matriarchal, went to Navan on Saturday and won. That makes the placed horses from that Cork maiden look useful, and Hanney Boy was closer to the winner than Matriarchal was to him.

Now he steps up to 6f, a trip that looks tailor-made given how he stayed on last time, and he returns to a track where he clearly handles conditions. The softer the ground gets today, the better his chance. Trainer Evanna McCutcheon is a small yard but her record shows she places them right.

Star Glory at 5/2 is worth a mention. The Noel Meade filly was hampered by stalls issues on debut and shaped with promise at the Curragh. Colin Keane takes the ride, which is always a signal. But the franked form of Hanney Boy makes him the pick at the price available.

6/4 with Boyle Sports and Betfred.

5:12 — Follow Us On Social Media Handicap (5f, Good To Yielding)

Selection: Bad Boy Rizz Each-Way (4/1, Boyle Sports/Betfred)

This is a proper race and picking the right angle matters. The Naas form from earlier this month runs through the heart of it. Amiata beat Bad Boy Rizz by 1.5 lengths there over 6f on good ground but had a significant fitness advantage, having already run that season. Bad Boy Rizz was on his seasonal return and still went close.

Now look at the rematch conditions. Bad Boy Rizz gets 6lb back from Amiata on revised weights. His maiden win came over 5f on soft, so the combination of a shorter trip and likely softer ground today plays directly to his strengths. Ross O’Sullivan’s yard has been in red hot form with five winners from 24 runners in the past 14 days. That is a yard firing.

Tornado Kiss at 15/8 won this course and distance last season and goes on any ground, but she has been exposed in listed company and her handicap mark on debut may leave less room for improvement than punters expect. Amiata at 3/1 is clearly a threat but gets softer going for the first time today and drops in trip. Bad Boy Rizz’s profile points the other way on both counts.

Bay Of Supremacy is interesting at 5/1. He is 2 from 7 on turf and both wins have come on soft, so rain suits him too. He could run into a place.

Best price on Bad Boy Rizz is 4/1 with Boyle Sports and Betfred. Each-way terms are 3 places at 1/5 in an 11-runner field.

Today’s NAP