August is a busy month for the Curragh races and it culminates in a card with three Group 3s and the Irish Cambridgeshire Premier Handicap on it at the home of the Flat in the Emerald Isle this Saturday. If you look closely, there’s even the odd British raider coming over.
Before thoughts turn to the Irish Champions Festival Sunday meeting in mid-September, there’s the small matter of the Snow Fairy Stakes, Round Tower Stakes and Newtownanner Stud Stakes. Each is a Pattern race, either for fillies and mares or juveniles. Something could emerge from the Group 3 contest for the big meeting next month, although they’re leaving it late with just a fortnight left.
The Curragh races on 30 August should prove revealing for the future, then. As for the Irish Cambridgeshire, there are plenty of seasoned and battle-hardened handicappers over a mile running in the big betting event again. While it attracts a smaller field than normal, course form and some runners from the Galway Races meet again.
Helping you make sense of it all are our experts. After studying pedigrees and the form book, they seek value through online horse racing bookies in both the UK and Ireland for the four big races on the card. Read their thoughts on the best of the action at Headquarters in County Kildare below.
Curragh Races Preview for Saturday, 30 August
2:20 – 1m Group 3 Newtownanner Stud Stakes (Fillies)
Coolmore have three in this with course 7f maiden winner Sugar Island the choice of retained rider Ryan Moore. She only prevailed by half-a-length, however, and although she didn’t do anything wrong, there are other options at bigger prices to consider. Moments Of Joy steps up in grade and trip after the form of her third in the Chesham during Royal Ascot was franked.
One who could really benefit from tackling a mile, however, is Jessica Harrington’s RIDERSINTHHESKY. While she’s still a maiden, this daughter of Pinatubo wasn’t far behind Sugar Island on racecourse debut here, then gaining on re-opposing runner-up Cape Sounion all the way to the line at Cork. Ridersinthesky would be a great each-way bet if there were eight runners now, but still looks worth chancing over the extra furlong.
Joseph O’Brien has already exposed Queen Of Hawaii over a mile, meanwhile, breaking her maiden around Leopardstown. If she runs well here, then the Kingman filly could be one for the Champions Juvenile Stakes back there in a couple of weeks. With just half-a-length separating Sugar Island and Ridersinthesky, however, there’s each-way value in the latter.
2:25 – 6f Group 3 Round Tower Stakes
28 runners, only ever one winner 🥇
Mission Central, since gelded following a quiet debut in April, cuts loose @curraghrace 💥@coolmorestud | @Ballydoyle pic.twitter.com/Ezz4QjF2Gn
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 9, 2025
It’s hard not to be impressed by MISSION CENTRAL after routing his rivals and breaking the maiden when last at Curragh races over course and distance. As the Ballydoyle first string again, this No Nay Never gelding only needed pushing out as he surged eight lengths clear of Chicago Critic. Although on a form marker through that one, Red Earth has claims too, Mission Central won his maiden in far more convincing and authoritative fashion.
Adrian Murray filly Ipanema Queen sets the standard on ratings off these terms. A mark of 95 isn’t huge to overcome, though, and she might struggle to build on her Listed success over the flying 5f her last time, for all it’s the logical next step. Compared to the favourite, she looks exposed after four races and a head success.
First Approach shaped like he’s worth another go at 6f. Wayne Lordan has often ridden him, so Moore choosing Mission Central perhaps isn ‘t as big a slight as it seems. Another course and distance winner in the line-up to note is Mushaffar. He notched a comfortable victory here on his only racecourse outing so far, but again not so impressive as the favourite.
3:27 – 1m 1f Group 3 Snow Fairy Stakes (Fillies & Mares)
A brilliant front-running performance from Sand Gazelle who captures our feature event of the evening, the @BritishEBF Lyric Fillies’ Stakes, leading home a 1-2 for John & Thady Gosden 🏆 pic.twitter.com/OsVoDOzkrv
— York Racecourse (@yorkracecourse) July 25, 2025
If using Ecstatic as a marker, then she finished further in front of that filly at Newbury earlier in the campaign than Red Letter managed around Killarney last time. Ger Lyons’ runner will have her stamina tested up in trip here and, although rated 2lb better than Sand Gazelle, may be the wrong favourite. Red Letter is 3lb better off from Navan with Barnavara for the Jessica Harrington stable, meanwhile.
That one stays further as well, however, after landing a Group 3 at Naas. Barnavara seemed galvanised by Red Letter’s late challenge previously, so could confirm form for all there was just half-a-length between them. From the older fillies, first-time cheekpieces go on Dermot Weld’s Azada, who has only won races in October in her career to date.
She shaped like this nine-furlong trip could be what she wants when runner-up to One Look in a Group 3 over a mile-and-a-quarter last time. Snellen has a penalty on top of the 7lb weight for age the four-year-olds concede to their juniors for Gavin Cromwell after just landing the Meld Stakes in this grade and over the trip around Leopardstown.
4:37 – 1m Irish Cambridgeshire (Premier Handicap)
The Jospeh O’Brien trained Wigmore Street arrives late to win the Paddy Power Supporting Cancer Trials Irish Cambridgeshire!
Completing a four-timer on the card for Ryan Moore! 👀
@paddypower pic.twitter.com/5WukHbgOyQ
— The Curragh Racecourse (@curraghrace) August 31, 2024
This is a minefield. Last year’s second, third, fourth, fifth, 14th, 16th and 18th are all back for another tilt at this valuable handicap at thee Curragh races. Form lines are tangled and it’s anyone’s guess whose turn it is to go in. Off just 2lb higher, however, the 2024 runner-up STATE ACTOR could go one better. Bill Farrell’s five-year-old was only beaten a length in the a mile handicap here when getting up for third on Irish Derby day.
Nudged up 1lb and nearest at the finish when sixth in Leopardstown’s Nasrullah Handicap behind Booyea and Bear Profit, winning this must’ve been a target for some time. Last season’s third Independent Expert has 5lb more on his back now even with a 3lb claimer booked, so the pick of Stephen Thorne’s pair is Pink Oxalis. Wayne Lordan is an eye-catching jockey booking on him.
That’s because he ran on into fourth behind Ger Keane’s Genuine Article, who has a 10lb hike for winning at the Galway Festival last time. Johnny Murtagh and Weld run standing dishes in Curragh mile handicaps in Blues Emperor and Coeur d’Or respectively, but both may have had their best days. Bear Profit could be building to something after his Galway second, meanwhile, and gets on well with 7lb claimer Nicola Burns.
British raider Godwinson can’t be chucked in after victories in the Lincoln and Seaton Delaval Handicaps at Doncaster and Newcastle, but William Haggas books Moore for the ride. He must bounce back from a poor fifth in a conditions contest during Glorious Goodwood. With course and distance form figures of 114203, State Actor looks the most solid option.
