Irish racing expert Tony Keenan has one bet for this afternoon's card at the Curragh.
Irish racing tips: Saturday August 16
0.5pt e.w. Send Harry in 5.45 Curragh at 10/1 (General 1/5 1,2,3,4)
Today is the second of four consecutive Saturdays at the Curragh, and while it is a decent meeting with two Group 3s and a Listed contest, there is a sense that plenty of runners are building towards later targets, notably at the Irish Champions Festival but also races later in the autumn.
Los Angeles is one such horse in the Newbridge Silverware Royal Whip Stakes at 3:27. Aidan O’Brien has used the line that he ‘is just ready to start back’ ahead of today with the Arc as his big target and another prep run, in the Prix Foy or Irish Champion Stakes, is planned.
That said, he is three from three at the Curragh, those wins all coming in good races, and he won after a midsummer break last year, defying a penalty in the Voltigeur and his price around evens seems reasonable.
His main market rival Zahrann has looked a good prospect so far, albeit a strong-staying one at a mile-and-a-half and is also off a break here. Perhaps learning from his time at Ballydoyle, Johnny Murtagh is another trainer who likes to give his horses a building run before autumn targets, and he could be as likely to need this run as Los Angeles.
The Comer Group International Irish St. Leger Trial Stakes at 4:37 is a tough race to sort with neither of the market leaders fully convincing. Puppet Master had excuses in the Irish Derby, sweating up and getting into a poor track position which left him with little chance, but he is off a short break here whereas Absurde didn’t fully convince with his finishing effort last time for all he was against a tough rival.
The Mitsubishi Electric Curragh Irish EBF Curragh Stakes at 2:52 features form that ties in with itself as Jack The Bachelor and Kansas meet for the third time in short period. It would be no surprise if either were to win but Rosie Frith has the potential to outrun her big odds.
Her first three runs over six furlongs give her little chance, nor her official mark of 75, but she looked a different proposition last time dropped to the minimum trip with the hood taken off as she won easily at Cork. The handicapper hardly knew what to do with her as her previous mark was just 61 and the form is ordinary, but she showed lots of speed there and will be suited by a race like this on fast ground.
Heavenly Power won the Kwiff: Supercharge Your Horse Racing Betting Handicap (4:02) last year and has decent claims of doing so again, his recent defeat in the Scurry easy to forgive as he raced too keenly and got involved in a pace battle.
Faster ground is a little worry, however, and Charasson is a player too, especially if allowed to stride on. He looked good ridden forward when winning over course and distance on his penultimate start and sitting in last time at Naas seemed not to suit as well.
The most interesting betting race on the card might be the other sprint handicap, the Kwiff: Supercharge Your Betting With Kwiff Handicap at 5:45. Carrigans Grove is a solid favourite after another good effort at Naas last time but perhaps one that finished behind her then, SEND HARRY, offers a little more value.
The selection has run three good races in 0-80 handicaps over six furlongs before stepping up to seven last time and the drop in trip should suit better.
The first of those sprint runs came at Fairyhouse in June where he chased home a pair of big improvers, unsuited by making his challenge away from them, and he followed that up with another third at Navan where his low draw was a big disadvantage. Even so, he got to a furlong out only to be swamped by two that had better draws.
His next start came at Naas when only ninth, but he met repeated trouble then and finished up racing on the unfavoured middle of the track before again running well in third at that track over seven furlongs last time.
I am not sure the steadier tempo of that race suited as it was run in a slow time with a relatively high finishing speed percentage, and this drop back to six furlongs should suit better.
His draw in stall 12 (of 14 runners) could be an advantage too. Last Saturday at this track saw low numbers do well but that fixture was on the near side track whereas they move to the Curragh side today and high numbers typically do better there.
Preview posted at 0820 on 06/08/2025
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