2025 Curragh & Haydock Saturday Tips

Eydon ensured we enjoyed another profitable Saturday last week. We have a bumper weekend of top class action on both sides of the Irish Sea ahead of us with the Irish 2000 Guineas the main event. Check out Dave Stevos’ 2025 Curragh & Haydock Saturday Tips below.

1.30 Goodwood – Harroways Handicap (Class 2)

With his seasonal comeback under his belt, Star Anthem might be able to defy a mark of 103 in this 7f handicap. We backed this horse in the Horris Hill last season when he ran a fine race on heavy ground to finish third, travelling well but just tiring late.

The son of Starspangledbanner won just one of his six starts last year, a 5f Bath maiden on good to soft. He has had just one run on proper quick ground and it was a super effort in the Coventry at Ascot where he stayed on strongly to be beaten just 2l behind our 2000 Guineas fancy Rashabar.

He was far too fresh and keen in a first time hood on his seasonal return but the headgear has been quickly discarded and he should come on plenty for that run. The way he travels, a strongly run race in a big field could really suit him and he has a decent draw in stall 5. At odds of 22/1, Star Anthem is well worth backing e/w.

2025 Goodwood Saturday Tip: Star Anthem e/w @ 22/1 (5 places)

1.50 Haydock – Silver Bowl Handicap (Heritage)

Another valuable 3yo handicap, this time over 1m. Joe Leavy is great value for his 3lb claim and he gets the leg up on Triple Double A for Hugo Palmer. This horse has progressed rapidly in handicaps this year. He showed nowt last year and started off the season off a mark of 59.

He has made a mockery of that opening rating and is now rated 79 after rattling off three wins in a row. Palmer’s charge raced prominently for those three victories and made all for the second and third ones. Last time out at Nottingham, in a mickey mouse handicap, he was dropped out and while he still ran well, it was strange that they changed tactics so dramatically.

My theory is that they wanted to preserve his mark so he could be aimed at a bigger prize and while that last race was worth £5k, this one is worth £100k. I’d imagine the forcing tactics will be redeployed and Palmer will be keen to put a smile on part-owner Alex Ferguson’s face after Manchester United’s dismal Europa League defeat on Wednesday. At odds of 14/1, Triple Double A is the e/w selection.

2025 Curragh & Haydock Saturday Tip: Triple Double A e/w @ 14/1 (4 places)

2.10 Beverley – Hilary Needler Trophy (Class 2)

I was going to leave this race alone as just seven run but Hills are paying three places so I can’t resist having a few quid e/w on the rank outsider Arduis Invicta. Craig Lidster’s daughter of Invincible Army was sent off at 40s for her debut over C&D and despite being green, she ran a blinder to finish second behind Tropical Dreamer. Artista, a 7/1 shot here, was 0.5l behind her in third.

Last time out she ran in the Lily Agnes at Chester and she finished 5l behind Ali Shuffle in fifth. However, I am not sure she appreciated that turning track, she was a bit slow away and I think she is better than she showed on that occasion. The return to this venue is a big plus and if she hadn’t run at Chester, she would be a lot shorter than 33/1. At the prices, Arduis Invicta is worth chancing e/w for small stakes.

2025 Beverley Saturday Tip: Arduis Invicta e/w @ 33/1 (3 places W Hill)

2.25 Haydock – Hedge Of Oak Stakes (listed)

I was tempted to put up Place Of Safety for this contest but her lack of a run has turned me off her. Running Lion looks short enough given how he ran on his seasonal reappearance and a few of the other market leaders have questions to answer too. I would be interested in Francophone only for my dreadful record when tipping up Johnston’s horses.

It’s a busy day and there are better betting opportunities elsewhere. No bet.

2025 Curragh & Haydock Saturday Tip: No Bet

2.45 Beverley – 2yo Trophy Stakes (Class 2)

Just six runners and with no extra places on offer we’ll swerve this one. No bet.

2025 Beverley Saturday Tip: No bet

3.00 Haydock – Sandy Lane Stakes (Group 2)

The first of three Group 2s on Saturday and this one is a 5f sprint for the 3yos. Kevin Ryan has a good record in this race so Ain’t Nobody is very much respected but unfortunately, he’s just 9/1. The one that interests me at bigger odds is Arabian Dusk for Simon & Ed Crisford.

This daughter of Havana Grey was a Group 2 winner at Newmarket last July, the last time she ran over 6f on good ground. She was a good third behind Lake Victoria in the Cheveley Park on soft on her final start of 2024 and she has already run twice this season.

On her return she was stepped up to 7f on good to soft in a Newmarket G3 and while she didn’t quite see the trip out, she wasn’t beaten far in fourth, finishing just 2.75l behind the winner Zanzoun. Last time out she was dropped back to 6f at Chelmsford and while she only finished fifth, she was just 2.25l behind the winner. She didn’t get the clearest of runs that day either.

She should appreciate the return to 6f on quick turf, though she handles an ease too, and I am not sure she should be as big as 20/1. Harry Davies was on board for her G2 win last season, hopefully he can steer her into the money again.

2025 Curragh & Haydock Saturday Tip: Arabian Dusk e/w @ 20/1 NB

3.05 Curragh – Greenlands Stakes (Group 2)

My Mate Alfie is a horse I rate highly and I believe he is a Group 1 sprinter in the making. He wasn’t given a hard race on his return when narrowly denied over 5f at Naas and with that sharpener under his belt, I think he can win this. However, odds of 4/1 are no use to us so I am instead going to chance an e/w bet on the loveable old grey warhorse, Big Gossey.

Just three runs ago he put manners on Camille Pissarro and Officer when winning a 7f listed race here in March. He has come up short at the same level on his last two runs but in his defence, those races were over 5f at Naas and he is much more at home at 6f/7f at the Curragh.

Last season he came up against My Mate Alfie twice over 6f here. On the first occasion he was beaten 0.75l conceding 2lb in a G3 and then he was beaten 1l by him when receiving 5lb. They meet again here off level weights and while the Lyons’ horse is clearly open to more improvement as a 4yo, the old boy shouldn’t be over 6x his price given how close he got to him last year.

The tongue tie, which was left off last time at Naas, returns and two of his last four runs here at 6f on good ground have resulted in victory. At odds of 28/1, Big Gossey is worth chancing e/w for small stakes.

2025 Curragh & Haydock Saturday Tip: Big Gossey e/w @ 28/1

3.15 Goodwood – Height of Fashion Stakes (Listed)

This is not one of the strongest Listed heats you’ll ever see. It has the look of a race that might produce a shock, hopefully Ed Walker and Hollie Doyle can provide it with Never Let Go.

By No Nay Never, this filly’s sole win came on her second start in a Wolverhampton 7f novice in December. She has been kept to that distance for her two runs in handicaps at Wetherby and Haydock this season and while she didn’t win off her mark of 76, she shaped as though she would appreciate stepping up in trip.

Her half-sister Bauhinia Rhapsody has won twice over 9.5f which offers encouragement that she’ll stay and while No Nay Never is best known as a speed source, he has produced a couple of decent winners at around this trip. This is not one for maximum stakes, but at 33/1 hopefully Doyle rides Never Let Go patiently and she stays on late for some black type and a place.

2025 Goodwood Saturday Tip: Never Let Go e/w @ 33/1

3.30 Haydock – Temple Stakes (Group 2)

The one that catches my eye at a price in this 5f burn up is the James Tate trained Electric Storm. A rating of 106 admittedly leaves her with a bit to find on paper but the mares’ allowance will help and she looked like a very smart horse when winning a Listed race at Bath (5f, gd-fm) on her seasonal reappearance last month.

Two weeks ago she ran in a Longchamp G3 but she was drawn wide. The first five home (Mgheera won) were drawn 3-1-5-2-4 and after a slightly slow start, she had absolutely no chance of getting involved from stall 9.

I think she is a much better mare than she showed that day and she won a 6f listed race at this meeting last year, her sole previous start at Haydock. Her form figures at 5f on good-good to firm read 21, Dany Tudhope is 2/2 on her and if the forecast rain comes, she handles a bit of an ease too. At odds of 16/1, Electric Storm is worth backing e/w.

2025 Curragh & Haydock Saturday Tip: Electric Storm e/w @ 16/1 NAP

3.40 Curragh – Irish 2000 Guineas (Group 1)

We have already backed Rashabar e/w for this race. I tipped him up on my own blog at 20s on Wednesday night (read why here) and he’s been nibbled into 14s/16s. Sean Levey maintains the partnership and he’s drawn in stall 1 so hopefully, we get a good run for our money.

2025 Curragh & Haydock Saturday Tip: Rashabar already advised e/w @ 20/1

-DaveStevos