Saturday Irish Racing Tips: Three to back on Irish Oaks day at the Curragh

The Group 1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks (15:45) headlines Saturday's Curragh card and it would have been hard to look past favourite Emily Upjohn in the search for the winner of the fourth Irish classic, though as I was writing this piece news came through that she was a non-runner.

That has ended up putting a completely different spin on the race and we now have a new short-priced favourite in the shape of Magical Lagoon.

She sets the standard on the form of her Ribblesdale win at Royal Ascot, though I'm not sure she should be quite as short as she is and am prepared to look elsewhere.

I was intending to put Aidan O'Brien's impeccably bred filly Toy up as an each-way speculator at big odds, but she's now become a major player for the win in the race and has the bonus of Ryan Moore in the saddle.

An impressive winner of a Cork maiden in April, this daughter of Galileo was then pitched straight into Group 1 company, where she was only beaten just under 5 lengths in the French 1000 guineas.

That was a good effort from a filly making just her fourth career start.

She then had a terrible draw when well beaten behind Nashwa in the French Oaks and it's well worth just striking a line through that run.

I suspect we have yet to see everything Toy has to offer and she still looks worth playing with the prospect of more progression to come.

Unlucky Equilateral can make amends

Mooneista will be popular in the 5f Group 3 Barberstown Castle Sapphire Stakes (15:10) on the back of her excellent fourth to Aussie speed machine Nature Strip at Royal Ascot last time.

However, less than half a length behind her that day was Equilateral, who didn't have as smooth a trip and was returning from the best part of 15 months off.

Charlie Hills' smooth-travelling sprinter shaped there as if he was at least as good as ever but he never got chance to show it in listed company at Sandown last time, where he got into all sorts of trouble before finishing to good effect down the outside.

That was some effort - beaten just 2 lengths behind Raasel, who is very much a sprinter on the up - and it's not too much of a stretch to say Equilateral would have gone very close to beating that one without the trouble he suffered.

A smart performer on his day, if Equilateral is back to the sort of form that saw him win a Group 2 at Meydan last year he'll take plenty of stopping in this company.

It also looks a big plus that Frankie Dettori is booked to take the ride, though with Emily Upjohn out of the Oaks, there has to be a chance the Italian may not make the journey over.

Mr Wagyu to go well in big handicap

The 6f Paddy Power Scurry Handicap (14:35) is as competitive as you'd expect from such a valuable contest but Mr Wagyu look sure to go well if turning up in the same sort of form that saw him finish fourth to Rohaan in the Wokingham last time.

John Quinn's sprinter has been something of a late bloomer but has proven better than ever this season, including when winning a good handicap at Epsom prior to Royal Ascot.

It took him a couple of runs to reach his peak this year but now that he's found his form he looks very much the type to keep heading in the right direction.

With an extra place available on the Sportsbook, Mr Wagyu looks a decent each-way play in a race that should be fast and furious.