There are three group races at The Curragh on Sunday, 26 August, so Horsebetting.com experts give their Debutante Stakes betting tips and picks for the Futurity Stakes – another 7f Group 2 juvenile contest – and the 1m 2f Group 3 Royal Whip Stakes. Anthony Van Dyck rates the best bet on this Curragh card, so is our NAP in the Futurity. Verbal Dexterity can make a winning return to action in the Royal Whip, meanwhile, and Lady Kaya looks each-way value in the Debutante having bolted up last time out. Read our Curragh tips betting preview for August 26 for more on these horses.Anthony Van Dyck can paint a winning picture in FuturityAidan O’Brien has landed 11 renewals of the 7f Group 2 Futurity Stakes for juveniles since 1997, so easy Tyros Stakes winner Anthony Van Dyck can take the step up in class in his stride to land the hat-trick at The Curragh on Sunday (15:05). The Ballydoyle maestro has half of the six-runner field in this year’s race, but this colt is the choice of number one stable jockey Ryan Moore.
Anthony Van Dyck has earned an opening mark of 112 after landing two of his three career outings to date. Although beaten 4 3/4 lengths by the re-opposing Klute and finishing seventh on debut over course and distance 56 days ago, he has improved with his racing like so many from the yard.
When stepped up to a mile on his second start in a Killarney maiden, Anthony Van Dyck bolted up by eight lengths after making good headway to lead two out. It was an easy victory and there was lots to like about the way he stayed on well with future assignments at the end of season – and possibly next – in mind.
Connections then pitched Anthony Van Dyck into Group 3 company off the back of this very taking display in the aforementioned 7f Tyros Stakes. Although three lengths behind at halfway, he took closer order two out and progressed to lead going best before the final furlong, yet stayed on strongly under a hand and heels ride from Moore to score easily by 4 3/4 lengths.
It was another step in the right direction from Anthony Van Dyck and he is obviously open to tons more of further progress. While Jessica Harrington’s Klute hasn’t been seen since beating him, and thus retains that unexposed tag, the clear preference is for a group winner over that potential.
Based on what he has achieved since his bow, Anthony Van Dyck has to be the value bet in the Futurity Stakes. He therefore is our NAP among Curragh betting tips for August 26 on a cracking card in Ireland.Verbal Dexterity taken to make winning return in Royal WhipJim Bolger has saddled four Royal Whip Stakes winners before and looks to have found an ideal opportunity for Verbal Dexterity to mark his return to action after 302 days off with victory now eased in grade for the Group 3 test over 1m 2f (15:40).
The three-year-old son of Vocalised has two wins and a second in three starts at the venue, landing the spoils at the highest level in the last of those. That came in the Vincent O’Brien National Stakes when he eventually turned the tables on Beckford after a titanic tussle.
Verbal Dexterity was then far from disgraced on his first British start when a 3 1/2 lengths fourth to Saxon Warrior in another Group 1, the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster, last time out. The winner went on to land the 2000 Guineas this season and runner-up, Roaring Lion a host of top races like Sandown’s Coral-Eclipse and Juddmonte International Stakes at the Ebor Festival over this trip.
That juvenile form is very strong and Verbal Dexterity comes into the Royal Whip completely unexposed at the distance. He is also the top-rated in the line-up off a mark of 117 that puts him 6lb and upwards clear of the field, and the beneficiary of weight-for-age from the older horses.
Three and four-year-olds have by far the best record in this contest; so, in the absence of the latter, Verbal Dexterity rates a solid bet to make a belated return to action. Tackling rivals that have already reached their ceiling, are worse off at the weights and rated significantly inferior for him, means he’s also among Curragh betting tips for August 26.Lady Kaya looks each-way value to deliver in DebutanteIn the Debutante Stakes (14:35), Lady Kaya could not have been more impressive last time out when bolting up by 10 lengths over course and distance, so rates a solid each-way bet to follow-up and do well in group company. Sheila Lavery’s family owned filly made all in the hands of Robbie Colgan on her second start two weeks ago and won completely unchallenged and unextended.
It was a hands and heels ride from her pilot that really caught the eye. Lady Kaya has several early-closing Group 2 and Group 1 entries for what remains of the season, but also crucially a sales race here next month, so this could be his final start for current connections.
Lady Kaya is by Dandy Man out of a Singspiel mare and was only beaten a length on debut – also over course and distance – when third to Decrypt. There are dangers in a hot-looking renewal of the Debutante with O’Brien trained filly Zagitova, who was victorious despite finishing lame last time out, and the Prince Khalid Abdullah owned Group 3 runner-up Viadera chief among them.
Neither has won as impressively as Lady Kaya, however; so, at the odds on offer, she is a very solid each-way bet among our Curragh betting tips for August 26 now mixing it with more illustrious rivals here.Your Next Bet
