Curragh Tips: Sunday 19 April 2026

Curragh Tips: Sunday 19 April 2026

Soft ground at the Curragh today, which immediately narrows the field in every race on the card. Eight races to work through, and three stand out as genuinely puntable. The going is going to sort the wheat from the chaff in what looks a competitive Sunday card. Here are the angles worth backing.

1:15 — Arizona Blaze Standing At The Irish National Stud Irish EBF Race (5f, 2yo)

Six runners, small field, soft ground on debut for most. Two of these have previous form to reference, and that immediately focuses attention.

Carry The Flag is Ryan Moore's ride for Aidan O'Brien, and that pairing alone tells you the yard expects a performance. A P O'Brien is running at 6 from 40 over the past fortnight, which is a solid clip for a team that runs plenty of horses. The colt is unraced, so there is no form to dissect, but Moore does not climb aboard two-year-old debutants at this level without confidence behind him. The Curragh suits horses who travel well through their race, and Moore invariably produces that style on a green two-year-old.

Blixen Force has a run under his belt, finishing third on debut, and David Egan is a sharp booking. RPR of 78 after one outing is reasonable, but Robson De Aguiar's yard has drawn a blank in 12 runners over the past fortnight. Hard to take the yard on that stat.

Selection: Carry The Flag at 13/8 (Bet365). Moore, Ballydoyle, soft ground, early in the season. Back with confidence.

1:50 — SIS Supporting Irish Racing Handicap (5f, Soft)

Ten runners over five furlongs on soft ground. A proper sprint handicap where the going will take out anything that wants quick ground.

Shadow Of The Moon Each-Way catches the eye at 6/1 (Bet365 and Boyle Sports). This four-year-old filly has a form line of 021, which means she won last time out on her most recent completed run. Trainer John James Feane is a small operation, so 0 from 3 in the last 14 days does not carry the weight it would from a bigger yard, and the key point is the horse herself, not the trainer's recent strike rate. A TS of 82 is the highest in the race, which suggests she is operating at full capacity when the conditions suit. Soft ground and five furlongs over soft at the Curragh is exactly the test she wants. Luke McAteer has ridden her before and knows what he is getting.

Stag Night is the market leader at 3/1, and the form figures of 715-32 suggest consistency without a win in recent starts. An eight-year-old who has placed twice recently is respected but hard to fancy at a cramped price in a competitive sprint.

Buddy Batt at 7/1 is interesting. The form of 511-31 shows this gelding wins races and has placed recently. Ronan Whelan is a reliable booking. However, the trainer Tracey Collins shows no recent runners in the 14-day stats to reference, so there is limited intelligence on stable form. Worth a closer look if the market moves his way.

Selection: Shadow Of The Moon each-way at 6/1 (Bet365, Boyle Sports). Three places at 1/5 odds. A horse who won last time, has the highest speed figure, and suits the conditions. That price is generous.

3:35 — Tote Guarantee Alleged Stakes (Group 3, 1m2f, Soft)

The feature race. Twelve runners, a proper Group 3 test, and the soft going makes this a genuine stamina contest over a mile and a quarter.

Red Letter at 5/1 (William Hill) is the one who jumps out. Trained by Ger Lyons, who is running at 2 from 14 over the past fortnight, this four-year-old filly has a form line of 72113, which means she won three of her last five outings before her reappearance. An RPR of 120 and a TS of 96 are strong figures. Colin Keane takes the ride, and he does not partner horses without a plan. Soft ground should suit a filly who gets through a race on class rather than raw pace. Lyons runs a tight ship and does not pitch horses into Group company without believing they belong there.

Royal Rhyme is the market leader at 5/2 (Bet365, William Hill, Coral) and has an RPR of 124, the highest in the field. Karl Burke is firing from the UK with a 14-day strike rate of 8 from 48. Clifford Lee rides. The form of 73/35 is not spectacular, but the figures suggest the raw ability is there. The concern is whether a yard-based UK horse travelling for a soft-ground Group 3 in Ireland has been primed specifically for today. Burke does travel horses with intent, so it cannot be dismissed.

Green Impact at 7/1 (Bet Victor) has an RPR matching Royal Rhyme at 123. Jessica Harrington's yard is cold at 1 from 29 in the last fortnight. Hard to side with a yard that flat in form, regardless of the horse's ability on paper.

Trustyourinstinct Each-Way at 9/1 (Bet365, William Hill) deserves a mention. An RPR of 123 for a six-year-old who knows soft ground and has Ronan Whelan aboard. Joseph Patrick O'Brien is running at 9 from 60 over two weeks, one of the busiest and most consistent yards in Ireland right now. A each-way play at 9/1 with three places at 1/5 odds has genuine merit if you want cover in a wide-open race.

Selection: Red Letter at 5/1 (William Hill). Keane, Lyons, soft ground, a horse in winning form. The price is fair rather than generous, but in a 12-runner Group 3 with a field this open, 5/1 about a recent winner with a strong jockey is the value.

Today's NAP