It was Oaks Day at the Curragh on Saturday but there’s more to come from Ireland’s premier Flat track on Sunday, with another excellent eight-race card to look forward to.
Sunday’s other meetings are provided by Stratford, Redcar and Newton Abbot but the Curragh’s Minstrel Stakes and the Curragh Cup are definitely the main events.
We’ve tasked our expert with selecting three strong fancies to follow on Sunday and amongst them is a Joseph O’Brien runner who is set for a return to winning ways.
Sunday’s Racing Tips – July 19
3.15 Curragh – Dorset @ SP
Aidan O’Brien runs two in this race and the useful DORSET is capable of much better than he has shown in three starts so far this season.
The son of Wootton Bassett was a very smart two-year-old and managed to produce some rock-solid form last term.
He got off the mark at the second time of asking in a course and distance maiden in June 2025 and it’s definitely worth noting that Irish Derby winner Benvenuto Cellini was back in second that day, providing a pretty substantial boost to the form!
O’Brien’s colt then went on to win a very valuable sales race, also over course and distance, before landing the Group 3 Killavullan Stakes at Leopardstown in October.
Well beaten in three starts this season, he’s capable of better and deserves another couple of chances.
4.25 Curragh – Al Riffa @ SP
Joseph O’Brien landed a treble at Leopardstown on Thursday, suggesting that the stable is in formidable form at the moment.
AL RIFFA brings a very high level of form to the table and the globe-trotting six-year-old is the best horse in the race by quite some way.
He rediscovered himself as a stayer last season and was a very impressive winner of this very race last term, where he got the better of Shackleton by five lengths. There was even more to come in the Irish St Leger and he won by a wide margin once again.
O’Brien’s horse was a respectable fourth in the Hong Kong Vase over a shorter trip in December and he was a close up third in the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier on his penultimate start. The Gold Cup was a couple of furlongs too far and a return to winning ways is anticipated.
5.30 Curragh – Solness @ SP
There aren’t too many better horses in two-mile chases when SOLNESS has his ideal conditions and the eight-year-old is set to make his first start on the Flat here.
It would be no surprise if he proves to be far too good for his rivals in this 1m4f maiden. A three-time Grade 1 winner over fences at Leopardstown, he was last seen finishing third in the Celebration Chase at Sandown back in April.
He was just a neck away from winning the Melling Chase at Aintree before that and clearly he brings a high level of form to the table.
The only doubt would be with regards to the trip but he’s so competitive in high-class chases over two miles that he should have enough speed to handle the shorter distance. It’ll be interesting to see how he gets on here but it would be a surprise if he fails to oblige.
