Tony Keenan has an each-way fancy in a maiden contest as he previews today's action from the Curragh.
Irish racing tips: Sunday October 4
0.5pts e.w. The Windhover in 13:55 the Curragh at 22/1 (Paddy Power, Sky Bet, bet365 1/5 1,2,3)
For as long as I can remember, Arc Day in Ireland meant Super Sunday at Tipperary but with that track under redevelopment just now, the Curragh hosts the main Irish meeting. Tipperary will host its first meeting as an all-weather track on October 23 next year, the 2027 fixture list having been announced recently.
The going this afternoon is expected to be slower than anticipated during the week, the Curragh taking more rain on Saturday morning than had been forecast though a dry day is given today.
Testing ground is an unknown with Loughrea in one of the features, the Coolmore Sioux Nation Concorde Stakes at 14:30, a race transferred from Tipperary. The going was slower than the official good when he won the Cambridgeshire here in late August, however, and he otherwise has strong claims.
One of the most progressive handicappers around this season, his Cambridgeshire form has worked out well, and the way he went through that race suggests seven furlongs will not be an issue. His biggest danger looks to be Big Gossey who came back to form at this track last Sunday and should be suited by a return to seven furlongs but both looked priced about right just now.
The head of the market in the other feature, the Hailey Equine Irish EBF Brigid's Pastures Stakes at 15:40, is not as solid. Carla Ridge was wildly impressive in winning this race last season but has run just once since while Royal Bay Cen seemed to have every chance here last week. A few of the others priced in single figures seem better over further too.
Space Bear is an interesting outsider, for all her price has contracted this morning. UK-based sprinters running in Ireland are worth noting, while she has seemed suited by six furlongs and slow ground the last twice having been campaigned on a faster surface before that.
Those conditions seem to have improved her and there could be more to come as she posted a good Timeform timefigure last time when making all, tactics that seem to suit this keen going sort.
She looks the main pace that is drawn high in this and should be able to get the near rail though they are racing on the middle track of three this afternoon and the high numbers are not as favoured then, the three meetings run on this track in August sending mixed messages about the sprint track. Still, she is bang in form and improving and looks a little overpriced.
There are some very competitive handicaps on the card, not least the 1xBet.ie Proud Supporters Of Irish Racing Handicap at 15:05. There are several in this that have good back form on testing ground – Eastwatch, Lady Lilac and Galileo Noir among them – and it would be no surprise to see them bounce back to form after some lacklustre recent efforts.
Two maidens open the card, and Little Darling is one that can go well in the first, the Final Furlong Podcast With 1xBet.ie Irish EBF Fillies Maiden at 13:20. She was fifth on debut at Leopardstown but shaped a fair bit better than that.
Having been a little slow away, she got into a decent position but was squeezed out on the turn and forced to back of the field before finishing strongly down the inner, fastest of all in the last two furlongs under a hand ride.
She has been entered in the Irish 1,000 Guineas this week and the favourite Pirate Anne Bonny did not fully convince with her attitude on debut at Naas.
Hmas Perth is the one to beat in the Bermingham Cameras Irish EBF (C & G) Maiden at 13:55 but THE WINDHOVER looks a decent candidate to outrun his odds.
He ran here during Irish Champions Festival, doing best of the debutantes in a valuable sales race and shaping better than his fourth-place finish.
Held up in rear, he raced close to the eventual second but that one gave it a bump and got that gap The Windhover needed which put him into a pocket where he repeatedly met trouble before finishing well.
The form is hard to rate, the winner a genuine Group filly and the runner up rated 61 but The Windhover split a pair rated 85 and 95 and seems to have run to a good level while this does not seem the strongest race outside of the favourite.
Published at 08:20 BST on 04/10/26
More from Sporting Life
- Free bets
- Racecards
- Fast results
- Full results and free video replays
- Horse racing news
- Horse racing tips
- Horse racing features
- Download our free iOS and Android app
- Football and other sports tips
- Podcasts and video content
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.al
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.
Sporting Life Plus - click here to login
Did you know you're probably already a Sporting Life Plus member?
All you need is a Sky Bet, Paddy Power or Betfair account and, using the same login details, you can access:
- Timeform racecards featuring flags, comments, ratings and analysis
- Premium content including Value Bet and Kieran Shoemark
- Timeform TV Focus tips and big-meeting best bets
- Free video replays for every UK and Irish meeting
- Free horse, trainer and jockey tracking with My Stable
- Live on-site betting across web and mobile web platforms
- Enhanced football accumulators from This Week's Acca
- Early access to top sports previews including the Open and Wimbledon
Everything is underpinned by our brands' combined 200-plus years of expertise.
Everything is completely free. No catch, no payment if you reach a certain threshold, just free for everyone in the UK and Ireland.
If you're yet to sign up for Sporting Life Plus and don't have one of those accounts, you can do so HERE.
If you do have an account, login now for the complete Sporting Life experience.
