Dundalk, Saturday 15 August 2026: Tips & Selections

Dundalk, Saturday 15 August 2026: Tips & Selections

Standard ground at Dundalk under the lights, and three races worth your attention tonight. With the York Ebor Festival kicking off in just three days, the serious money will be pointing north, but Dundalk’s all-weather card offers some genuine angles for those who look beyond the obvious. A 14-runner handicap, a competitive fillies maiden and a 12-runner sprint handicap all have something to say. Here is where the value sits.

1:50 — Irish EBF Auction Series Fillies Maiden (6f, Standard)

Fourteen two-year-old fillies, a short trip and a dominant market leader in Starlit. The 7/4 shot trained by Jessica Harrington and ridden by Shane Foley has only one run to her name, a sixth, which makes the market confidence feel premature. Harrington’s yard is running at just 2/29 in the last 14 days, and that stat alone makes me want to look elsewhere.

Selection: Crayons In The Sky at 5/2 (Boyle Sports / Betfred)

Dylan Browne McMonagle takes the ride, and that is the first thing that grabs attention. He does not climb aboard also-rans. Crayons In The Sky has form figures of 2-4, both runs showing she is competitive and improving through her races. A second from her penultimate start is solid form for this level. Stephen Thorne’s yard has been quiet recently, but the jockey booking here is a serious upgrade, and at 5/2 with a horse who has already shown she can finish in the money, this looks the most straightforward bet on the card.

Tosca No Candis has three fifths to her name and is shortening for it at 3/1. Three consecutive fifths tells you she runs her race but cannot find another gear. Pass.

2:25 — BAR 1 Betting Mourne Handicap (6f, Standard)

Twelve runners, 3 places at 1/4 odds, and a clear form angle. This is a competitive sprint but the market has nailed it.

Selection: Kerdos at 9/2 (Boyle Sports / Betfred)

Kerdos arrives on the back of a win last time out. In handicaps, a horse carrying momentum off a recent victory is always the starting point, and his form figure of 968601 tells you he can go cold and then fire. He has experience over six furlongs on standard ground, our top rating of 100 makes him the form pick of the field, and from stall three he gets a clean passage without traffic concerns. The yard of Stephen Thorne has been quiet but Kerdos is carrying his own recent form rather than relying on stable vibes.

The main danger is Dark Ace, who also has winning form in recent starts, but two subsequent unplaced efforts drag on confidence. Black Forza represents the most interesting alternative at 7/1 given a promising third three starts back and a useful rating, though a 90-day absence is a significant ask first time back.

4:35 — Irish Stallion Farms EBF Red God Handicap (1m2½f, Standard)

Selection: Apercu Each-Way at 9/1 (Boyle Sports / Betfred)

Fourteen runners, four places at 1/5 odds, and a mare who landed a second two starts back to confirm she belongs at this level. Apercu is trained by A Oliver, whose yard has been running at an encouraging 2/10 over the past fortnight, the joint-best strike rate of any trainer represented on this card. Ronan Whelan takes the ride, a jockey who knows how to place a horse in a big-field handicap.

The facts stack up neatly. She has form over this trip and on standard ground. She arrives on a 23-day turnaround in decent order. She draws stall one, which on an all-weather track is a significant advantage in a 14-runner field, giving Whelan the option to dictate or slot in with minimal trouble. At 135lbs she is not leniently treated, but the conditions suit and the price is generous enough to make four places at 1/5 look attractive.

Iron Fist at 13/2 is the market leader but Harrington’s recent stats of 2/29 give little confidence. Star Harbour has place claims at 7/1 but three days since his last run is a red flag. Apercu at 9/1 each-way is the play.

Today’s NAP

Crayons In The Sky — Irish EBF Auction Series Fillies Maiden (1:50, Dundalk)
Odds: 5/2 — Boyle Sports (others: 5/2 Betfred, 9/4 LiveScore Bet)

The Dylan Browne McMonagle booking on a filly who has already shown she can finish in the money makes this the standout of the night. Starlit is a short-priced favourite from a yard running at 2/29 recently, which is poor value at 7/4 for a horse with one run showing a sixth. Crayons In The Sky brings a placed effort from two starts and gets the upgrade in the saddle. At 5/2, this is the price that makes sense.