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Friday's Irish tips: Johnny Ward's six of the best

Last Updated: Thu 22 Oct 2026

Top presenter and tipster Johnny Ward shares his six best bets across Cheltenham, Dundalk and Sligo on Friday, with every contest live on Racing TV.

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The scourge of the optional claimer when you have a horse in to be claimed is advertised in the first race at Dundalk, with Aidan, Joseph and Donnacha O'Brien all running horses who cannot be claimed – as is absolutely their right.

Optional claimers owe their existence to punters preferring them to normal claimers – but it is hard to suggest there is much about the race that feels like a claiming race.

It's a day of plenty for punters, everything from Ceanndana trying to win for his colourful connections at Cheltenham to a two-year-old by Stradivarius running at Dundalk.

1.15 Cheltenham: Sunny South West

9/2

The British handicapper could have been harder on this horse on his form but also he ran to about 90 beating a subsequent maiden winner at Thurles on the Flat earlier this month so there are lots of positives about him under a superb 3lb claimer for a sharp young trainer at 5-1.

3.00 Cheltenham: Bells Grove

12/1

This is a hardy, progressive horse who is lightly raced and race-fit, with form that already gives him big claims – so how is he 14-1?

3.45 Sligo: Goin'

7/2

Perhaps he did not have excuses last twice but was favourite both times and ran big races, looking like the winner for much of each. Major each-way appeal under Dan King.

4.45 Cheltenham: Ceanndana

16/1

This has been the seasonal aim for this honest nine-year-old who is 16-1, even though he was 5-1 in a much bigger field in this race two years ago when rated 5lb higher. He has only had seven runs since and it is wrong to assume he has regressed to that extent.

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5.45 Dundalk: Iff In Doubt

11/2

I could not believe this horse's odds last time – 14-1 – but he must have been a little off fitness and that seemed to manifest itself in the effort: he went from looking a winner to finishing unplaced. That man Paddy McGettigan takes over and he should be primed now.

6.15 Dundalk: Sovereign Banter

20/1

This horse has run ten times at Dundalk, finishing in the first four on seven of those, and usually off a higher rating than he has tonight (5lb higher on his last visit and beaten a head). Given the form of the yard and jockey he has to be chanced.

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