ITV Racing Tips: Curragh, Market Rasen, Newbury

Telegraph

18-07-2025

Saturday's UK and Irish racing
(Flat unless stated)
Curragh 1.30-5.25 (Racing TV)
Market Rasen (jumps) 1.35-5.00 (Racing TV)
Cartmel (jumps) 1.40-5.10 (Racing TV)
Newbury 1.50-5.20 (Sky Sports Racing)
Ripon 2.10-5.38 (Sky Sports Racing)
Newmarket 4.20-7.38 (Racing TV)
Doncaster 5.15-8.45 (Sky Sports Racing)
Haydock 6.25-9.00 (Racing TV)
Free-to-view racing coverage
ITV4 – 9am-10am: The Opening Show
ITV1 – 1.30pm-4pm: Live racing from the Curragh, Market Rasen and Newbury
Ron Wood's selections
Nap:
Ballysax Hank (3.12, Market Rasen) 1pt win @ 9/2 with Betfred ⭐⭐⭐
Next best:
Kind Of Blue (2.57, Newbury) 1pt win @ 15/2 with Betfred ⭐⭐⭐
Others:
Ancient Wisdom (1.50, Newbury) 1pt win @ 9/2 with Betfred ⭐⭐
Mostly Sunny (2.05, Market Rasen) 1pt win @ 9/2 with Betfred ⭐⭐
Contacto (2.25, Newbury) 1pt win @ 11/2 with Betfred ⭐⭐
Cavern Club (2.40, Market Rasen) 1pt win @ 8/1 with Betfred ⭐⭐
Havana Hurricane (3.30, Newbury) 1pt win @ 11/8 with Betfred ⭐⭐⭐
Minnie Hauk (3,40, Curragh) 1pt win @ 2/9 with Betfred ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Odds provided by Betfred and correct at the time of writing. Stars denote strength of selection (maximum five).
If you already have a Betfred account and are looking for a new bookmaker to use for this week's racing, check out more free bets from the best betting sites, reviewed by our experts.
1.50, Newbury – Steventon Stakes (Listed, 1m 2f; ITV1 and Racing TV)
Maybe this open contest can go to ANCIENT WISDOM. Charlie Appleby's four-year-old has developed an inconsistent profile, but he was a Group 1 winner as a two-year-old and landed a Group 3 last term.
That latest success came over 1m 5f, but he was second in the 1m 2f Group 3 Gordon Richards at Sandown earlier this season.
Ancient Wisdom was below form in the Group 1 Coronation Cup at Epsom on his latest outing, and he could do with some rain getting into the ground, but this son of Dubawi has since been gelded and this is a big class drop.
2.05, Market Rasen – Class 3 Handicap Hurdle (2m 4½f; ITV1 and Racing TV)
It is hard to know what the ground is going to do at the Lincolnshire course, as it was officially given as good on Friday (warm and dry), but rain is forecast for race day.
MOSTLY SUNNY won at Plumpton in April and has been running creditably in defeat in some competitive events since then. This race does not look as deep as those recent outings, so it seems a fair opportunity for Dan Skelton's charge.
2.25, Newbury – Class 2 Handicap (2m ½f; ITV1 and Racing TV)
There is probably still more to come from CONTACTO for trainer Andrew Balding, and some rain could help his cause.
This four-year-old struggled to make a telling impression in a competitive race at Newcastle last time, but that was a muddling affair and he was earlier progressive, not looking fully exposed as a stayer.
2.40, Market Rasen – Summer Handicap Hurdle (Class 2 2m ½f; ITV1 and Racing TV)
A James Owen five-year-old, Too Friendly, won this race in 2023 and the trainer is back with another runner of the same age who has fair-looking claims, CAVERN CLUB.
The selection is still relatively unexposed over jumps, having had only six starts as a hurdler, winning twice – including the most recent at Doncaster in March under Gavin Sheehan, who is again in the saddle.
Cavern Club comes into this in form, having won his latest outing on the Flat, and he should not mind what the weather does.
2.57, Newbury – Hackwood Stakes (Group 3, 6f; ITV1 and Racing TV)
This features last year's winner Elite Status as well as Regional, who won the 2023 Group 1 Haydock Sprint Cup. However, preference is for KIND OF BLUE, who won last season's Group 1 Champions Sprint at Ascot.
Our pick was only third in this in 2024, but that was just his fourth start – and while it has been a disappointing campaign for him this time around, he has had excuses for both his starts in 2025.
James Fanshawe's runner blew the start in a 5f race on his reappearance. And most recently, he had an unfavourable track position on the all-weather at Newcastle, and a 7lb penalty.
Kind Of Blue should be happier back on turf and he is unpenalised now.
3.12, Market Rasen – Summer Plate Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap, 2m 5½f; ITV1 and Racing TV)
The Irish-trained BALLYSAX HANK looks to have fair-looking claims. He is a strong traveller who should be better for his recent Bellewstown spin over hurdles, when he was returning from a two-month break, and his usual hood is now refitted.
Our nap has had just three starts over fences, so still has potential, and Harry Cobden, who has ridden the previous two winners of this race, including Sure Touch last year, takes the mount on Gavin Cromwell's charge.
3.30, Newbury – Super Sprint (Class 2, 5f; ITV1 and Racing TV)
This dash for two-year-olds is worth £250,000 and the form runner is the Eve Johnson Houghton-trained HAVANA HURRICANE, who won the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot. Charles Bishop continues in the saddle.
3.40, Curragh – Group 1 Irish Oaks (1m 4f; ITV1 and Racing TV)
This contest seems like an open-and-shut case. MINNIE HAUK has much the best form and anything other than a win for her will be a surprise, although she is priced accordingly – so it is not like there is a lot to be gained from supporting her.
Minnie Hauk did not appear to be one of Aidan O'Brien's top prospects last year, even having cost €1.85m as a yearling. But she won the Cheshire Oaks on her reappearance and then landed the Group 1 Oaks at Epsom, defeating her stablemate Whirl, who then won the Group 1 Pretty Polly at the Curragh.
This daughter of Frankel has quickly progressed into a high-class three-year-old and she potentially has further improvement in her.
Does Aidan O'Brien have any other runners on Saturday?
Just a few – the Ballydoyle maestro is fielding 13 charges, all at the Curragh, including True Love, who takes on the boys in the Group 2 Railway Stakes (2.35). This filly was last seen landing the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot.
Where is Ryan Moore riding on Saturday?
Of course Moore is at the Curragh, where he will be bidding to win the Irish Oaks for the fourth time. And of course he is on hot favourite Minnie Hauk.
Where is William Buick riding on Saturday?
Buick is at Newbury and his mounts include Ancient Wisdom, our selection in the opener.
When is the next big racing festival?
The week-long Galway Festival kicks off in Ireland on Monday July 28, followed a day later by Glorious Goodwood. Check out the latest Glorious Goodwood free bets and betting offers ahead of the West Sussex showdown.
The latter is a five-day fixture and is set to feature the Kingman colt Field Of Gold, possibly the best horse in the world, in the Sussex Stakes on July 30, one of three Group 1s at the meeting.
What does nap mean?
Nap is a word used in betting circles to describe a prediction that a tipster thinks has a particularly strong chance of winning.
Many horse racing tipsters pick out a 'nap of the day', which is their favoured selection from all the races across the different meetings.
The term nap derives from the French card game Napoleon. When players of this game thought they had a particularly strong hand that they would win with, they would shout 'Napoleon'.
Ron Wood 2025 horse racing profit/loss
Star ratings explained
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - confident selection
⭐⭐⭐⭐ - strong fancy
⭐⭐⭐ - fair claims
⭐⭐ - tentative choice
⭐ - minimum confidence