Curragh Horse Racing Tips for Sunday

It's the second day of Irish Champions weekend when the fiercely competitive action switches to the Curragh, and here are the latest horse racing betting tips for Sunday's card from the Racing Post's Gary Savage:

Sunday's Curragh Horse Racing Betting Tips and Odds

13:50 - Summerghand @ 20/1
13:50 - Jon Riggens @ 12/1
14:25 - Purple Lily @ 9/4
15:00 - Exactly @ 25/1

13:50 - Summerghand @ 20/1

13:50 - Jon Riggens @ 12/1

A 26-runner handicap requires a two-pronged approach and both of these contenders look to have plenty going for them as they look to improve on good runs in the race last year.

Summerghand needs no introduction on his 104th start, and despite being a 10-year-old he has shown plenty of fire in his most recent starts.

Since his last win in August last year he has run an astonishing 20 times, which has resulted in him running off his lowest mark for more than six years.

His next run after that victory came in this race when he was checked in his run before finishing a commendable fourth.

That was off a 17lb higher mark, so his chance on that run is obvious, and he has produced two great efforts on his last two starts in similar cavalry charges at Ripon and York.

A similar though less dramatic case can be made for last year's seventh Jon Riggens who was just a length behind Summerghand.

Edward Lynam's six-year-old is a standing dish in course-and-distance contests, his record in such races since 2023 reading 41754, which is pretty good considering the field sizes.

He is 7lb lower than last year, with James Ryan's claim on top, and a fast pace should be enough for him to hit the frame at least.

14:25 - Purple Lily @ 9/4

A nice prize on offer for this Group Two and the race has attracted a field worthy of the prize with a good mix of older horses and three-year-olds.

The Classic generation has held sway in recent years, winning the last five runnings, and look to hold the upper hand again with six fillies looking to take advantage of the 6lb they receive from their older rivals.

The profile of recent winners heavily features fillies who have been tried at the highest level over 1m4f, mostly stepping back slightly in both trip and grade after running in either the English or Irish Oaks.

We have no Epsom also-rans this year but four fillies renew rivalries after clashing in the Irish version and they look closely matched on their finishing positions that day.

They finished third, fourth, fifth and sixth with only two and a quarter lengths between them in a race that looks very strong form.

Despite the margins, ready preference is for the first horse home in Purple Lily who was arguably the least fortunate and who looks as though she will benefit the most from the conditions.

Hanalia finished well from the rear, as she did again last time, but looks as though she lacks a bit of tactical speed, while Elizabeth Jane is bred to stay and runs accordingly.

Caught U Looking had the run of the race in the Irish Oaks and was laying down a challenge while the selection was still trapped on the rail awaiting a gap.

Purple Lily was travelling strongly and took the gap once it came, only for her stamina to give out late on.

Today's 2f shorter trip looks ideal for her and, with the rain staying away, this Group Two looks a perfect opportunity for her.

15:00 - Exactly @ 25/1

The unbeaten and regally-bred Bedtime Story is likely to be a warm order for this Group One, but favourites have a very poor record in this race, with only one winning since 2015, and she is worth opposing.

A striking factor in the form of many of the victors of this Group One is a defeat in the Debutante Stakes, a Group Two run over course and distance in August.

No less than six of the last 10 winners of this contest, were beaten in the Debutante, a statistic which becomes even more noticeable when you discount the two British-trained winners.

Most of those winners were overturning the form with the winners of the Debutante, and as three of them were trained by Aidan O'Brien, Exactly looks a good bet to get the better of her more fancied stablemate this time.

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.