Horse racing betting tips and race card for the Curragh on Irish Oaks day

Savethelastdance should give Aidan O’Brien a seventh Juddmonte Irish Oaks at the Curragh this afternoon.

The Galileo filly, runner-up to Soul Sister in the Betfred Oaks at Epsom last time, will appreciate the more galloping nature of the Curragh track and the “yielding to soft” ground and should prove very tough to beat.

A longshot when winning her maiden in heavy ground at Leopardstown back in April, this Galileo filly produced a startling performance to win the Cheshire Oaks (listed) in Chester, relishing the testing conditions and powering clear to slam There’s The Door by no less than twenty-two lengths.

On the evidence of that performance, the Ballydoyle filly started 5/6 favourite for the Betfred Oaks at Epsom but, apparently ill at ease on track’s camber, performed creditably to finish second, beaten a length and three-quarters by Soul Sister.

Outpaced at a crucial stage, she stayed going in encouraging style and should prove more effective on today’s terrain.

O’Brien has won the race with Alexandrova (2206), Peeping Fawn (2007), Moonstone (2008), Bracelet (2014), Seventh Heaven (2016) and Snowfall (2021) and should do so again with Savethelastdance, the mount of Ryan Moore, who has won the race on Snow Fairy (2010) and Snowfall.

On form, the chief danger to Savethelastdance should be stable-companion Warm Heart in a race which sees O’Brien saddle four of the eight runners.

This progressive Galileo filly has already completed a hat-trick this season and, significantly, holds sole British raider Bluestocking, the mount of Colin Keane, on Newbury and Royal Ascot form.

Winner of a Leopardstown maiden in May, Warm Heart then prevailed by a head over Ralph Beckett’s filly in a listed contest at Newbury and, last time, when winning the Group 3 ‘Ribblesdale’ at Royal Ascot, she beat Joseph O’Brien’s Lumiere Rock (also in today’s field) and Bluestocking convincingly – she scored by two and a half lengths and a length and aquarter – and should confirm that form.

The step-up to a mile and a half brought improvement in Warm Heart and, expected to take another step forward, is expected to prove the main threat to the favourite, with Seamus Heffernan bidding for a second Irish Oaks success.

The other Ballydoyle runners are Be Happy, not seen since finishing second in the Lingfield Oaks Trial, and Naas trial winner Library, well-beaten at Leopardstown last time.

Here's a list of the runners and riders for all eight races at the Curragh:

1.30pm: 7f Juddmonte Irish EBF (C & G) Maiden (2yo)

1 Avatar Jet (IRE) Robbie Colgan

2 Cool Dan (IRE) Gary Carroll

3 Count Von Browne (IRE) Billy Lee

4 Henry Longfellow (IRE) Ryan Moore

5 King Of Gosford Chris Hayes

6 Koniag (IRE) Leigh Roche

7 Master Of The Hunt (IRE) Seamie Heffernan

8 Mythology (IRE) Dylan McMonagle

9 Ocean Conquest Colin Keane

10 Ringside Timing (IRE) Rory Cleary

11 Versatile (IRE) Shane Foley

Tip: Henry Longfellow

2.00pm: 6½f (6f63y) Jebel Ali Racecourse And Stables Anglesey Stakes (Group 3) (2yo)

1 Buyin Buyin (IRE) Gary Carroll

2 The Caribbean (IRE) Seamie Heffernan

3 Do It With Style (IRE) Gavin Ryan

4 Gaenari (IRE) Leigh Roche

5 Gunzburg (IRE) Billy Lee

6 Kairyu (IRE) Colin Keane

7 Pearls And Rubies (USA) Ryan Moore

8 She's Quality (IRE) Chris Hayes

Tip: Pearls And Rubies

2.35pm: 6½f (6f63y) Paddy Power Scurry Handicap (Premier Handicap) (3yo+)

1 Coachello (FR) C Stone-Walsh (7)

2 Big Gossey (IRE) Danny Sheehy (3)

3 Hurricane Ivor (IRE) Shane Foley

4 Albasheer (IRE) Colin Keane

5 Master Matt Scott McCullagh (3)

6 Verhoyen Billy Lee

7 Strike Red (IRE) B Garritty

8 Gustavus Weston (IRE) Gary Carroll

9 Laugh A Minute Adam Caffrey (5)

10 Dandyville (IRE) Seamie Heffernan

11 Hispanic (IRE) Ryan Moore

12 Blairmayne (IRE) Mikey Sheehy

13 Aussie Girl (IRE) Jamie Powell (5)

14 Gypsy Woman (IRE) Andy Slattery

15 Big Baby Bull (IRE) S D Bowen (7)

16 Furnace Creek (IRE) M W Hassett (7)

17 Mehman Niall McCullagh

18 No More Porter (IRE) Chris Hayes

19 Coumshingaun (IRE) Nathan Crosse

20 Pinar Del Rio Siobhan Rutledge (3)

21 Heavenly Power (IRE) Leigh Roche

Tip: Gypsy Woman

3.10pm: 5f Barberstown Castle Sapphire Stakes (Group 2) (3yo+)

1 Art Power (IRE) David Allan

2 Go Athletico (FR) Colin Keane

3 Moss Tucker (IRE) Billy Lee

4 Ano Syra (IRE) Gary Carroll

5 Ladies Church Ryan Moore

6 White Lavender (IRE) Chris Hayes

7 Lady Tilbury Luke McAteer

8 Maria Branwell (IRE) Dylan McMonagle

Tip: Art Power

3.45pm: 1m4f Juddmonte Irish Oaks (Group 1) (Fillies) (3yo)

1 Azazat (IRE) Chris Hayes

2 Be Happy (IRE) Billy Lee

3 Bluestocking Colin Keane

4 Comhra (IRE) Rory Cleary

5 Library (IRE) Gavin Ryan

6 Lumiere Rock (IRE) Dylan McMonagle

7 Savethelastdance (IRE) Ryan Moore

8 Warm Heart (IRE) Seamie Heffernan

Tip: Savethelastdance

4.20pm: 1m6f Comer Group International Curragh Cup (Group 2) (3yo+)

1 John Alexander (IRE) Nathan Crosse

2 Okita Soushi (IRE) Mikey Sheehy

3 Point King (IRE) Dylan McMonagle

4 Run For Oscar (IRE) Colin Keane

5 Sionnach Eile (IRE) Gary Carroll

6 Yashin (IRE) Shane Foley

7 Emily Dickinson (IRE) Ryan Moore

8 Rosscarbery (GER) Billy Lee

9 Gooloogong (IRE) Seamie Heffernan

10 Young Ireland (IRE) Luke McAteer

11 Amusement (IRE) Gavin Ryan

Tip: Emily Dickinson

4.55pm: 6f La Celia Wines Sprint Nursery Handicap (2yo)

1 Democracy (IRE) Ryan Moore

2 Prince X J (IRE) Colin Keane

3 Oligopoly Hugh Horgan (7)

4 Ocean Baroque (IRE) Billy Lee

5 Neo Smart (IRE) Rory Cleary

6 Jakajaro (IRE) Luke McAteer

7 Lia Fail (IRE) Gavin Ryan

8 Sanshiro (IRE) Chris Hayes

9 Nika Pika (IRE) Leigh Roche

10 Poppadom (IRE) Andy Slattery

Tip: Poppadom

5.30pm: 7f Barberstown Castle Irish EBF Fillies & Mares Maiden (3yo+)

1 Dagoda (IRE) Seamie Heffernan

2 Beauty Bella (IRE) Robbie Colgan

3 Coco Crush (USA) Dylan McMonagle

4 Harriet Eagle (IRE) R Donaghue-Leahy (10)

5 Machnamh (IRE) Rory Cleary

6 Mayo Dawn (IRE) Cian MacRedmond (5)

7 Medici Pass (IRE) Nathan Crosse

8 Perfect Poise (IRE) Colin Keane

9 Shesatrolleydollie (IRE) Gary Carroll