Irish racing tips

Irish racing tips: Tony Keenan best bets for today at Down Royal

Horse Racing

Sat June 20, 2026 · 6d ago

Tony Keenan is back with a look ahead to today's action at Down Royal.

Irish racing tips: Saturday June 20

0.5pts e.w Pierre Grosse in the Down Royal 16:33 at 14/1 (General)

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It is the big flat meeting of the year at Down Royal, the traditional side dish to the final day of Royal Ascot, though the ground at the two tracks will be different, Ireland having seen plenty of rain this week. The going is currently soft, though it can be expected to dry out a little with a warm and dry day forecast.

The feature is the BOYLE Sports Ulster Derby at 16:33 and it is easy to see the claims of Magnus Serrator towards the head of the betting. He was an eye-catcher in his two maiden runs this year, especially last time at Killarney where he looked to have a lot more give over a trip too sharp, and both those races have worked out particularly well.

He shapes like this distance will suit and he is bred accordingly though his price looks about right. Harmani was impressive at this track last time though perhaps not quite 15lbs impressive, the hike he got, and he faces different ground here, Billy Lee saying at that meeting that it was the fastest they had raced on to that point in the year.

PIERRE GROSSE looks overpriced among the outsiders. He was not seen to best effect in three runs as a juvenile, meeting trouble on this first start then running back too quickly and shaping as if further was needed on his final outing, something that has been a theme throughout his career. The Harrington yard also had a poor time in 2025 but are going much better now.

He ran the best race of his career when third on return at Leopardstown in April, held up and doing well to close down a pair that in the first two positions throughout, fastest of all in the last three furlongs despite racing on the unfavoured part of the track.

The going was soft per Timeform on that occasion, so the surface should be fine today, while his last two runs have come in unsuitable races as both were over 10 furlongs on decent ground and emphasised relative speed.

The first was at Naas where a finishing speed of 116% gave him little chance to come from off the pace as a front-runner made all, while he looked to find everything happening too fast at Fairyhouse last time before finishing well.

He gets an extra three furlongs now, and there are a few in the field that like to go forward, while his trainer has a good record in the race with three winners and six places from 16 runners. Some of that success came before it was changed to a three-year-old only contest, but she did win in 2024 and had the runner-up last year.

The BOYLE Sports Irish EBF Ulster Oaks Fillies Handicap (3:53) is tougher to sort. Chablis Rock is the three-year-old on the up but may prefer further, and Fiver Friday could enjoy going back on slow ground but may be too high in the weights.

Plenty of others have chances too, with Lady Lilac somewhat interesting despite her yard being without a winner since October. She has a good record on slow ground and ran very well on her first start of the season at the Curragh in April in a premier handicap, coming clear in a tight finish with three others that have all won good handicaps since.

She disappointed on her next start at Limerick, but the drying ground was against here while her next two runs have been in wholly unsuitable races, both with the ground and the class. She may be able to run better here at a more realistic level.

The Belfast Live: Number 1 For News And Sport Handicap (14:41) looks a strong race of its type with the likes of Amrum and Connecteo holding decent chances, and it would be no surprise if Aquilla Star proves well-handicapped in the near term, though Galway may be the aim with that one as she returns from a 236-day break having run well at that track on her last start.

Vauntingly and Wickedly Wootton set the standard in the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden at 2:06 but Altura may be able to outrun big odds. She was beaten a long way on debut at Leopardstown in April but got badly hampered as the race heating up and her rider allowed her to coast home thereafter. Her finish was still a decent one, her final furlong second-fastest after the impressive winner, and there could be ability there.

In the closing Event Co Marquees Maiden (17:43), Duvessa sets a decent standard and should have more to offer as well. She shaped well on her belated debut at the Curragh last September when badly in need of the experience, then stepped forward after joining Joseph O’Brien in May, caught further back than ideal and unable to real in an improved type that had been closer to the pace.

Preview published at 08:40 BST on 20/06/26

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