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Kwiff More Bang For Your Bet Nursery Handicap

16:55 Curragh Sun 27 Sep 2026 0m7f0y Good 12 runners

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Mr Fox’s call

Moon Sand silks

Moon Sand

SPECULATIVE Advised 3/1 SP 5/2J Est. 28%

🏆 WON

Mr Fox says

Moon Sand (SR:70, 3/1, 9-9) is the most compelling runner on combined signals. The Joseph Patrick O'Brien yard strikes at 16% career rate with 3,158 runners — a well-resourced operation that does not run juveniles blind in nursery handicaps. The market has shortened 16% since opening, representing meaningful money arriving on a horse in a 12-runner field at an already competitive price. The form string 996 shows the horse has been competitive in recent starts, and the weight of 9-9 sits comfortably in the mid-range of this field. DistFit and GoingFit are both unknown (first-time at this trip/going combination) which is a flag, but the O'Brien yard routinely steps juveniles up in trip with preparation done at home, and the market support strongly suggests connections are confident this trip and ground will suit. Exchange Student (SR:77, 4/1) is the each-way alternative with the highest SR in the field and proven moderate distance and going credentials, though the +11lb mark rise post-last-win is a concern. The danger is Exchange Student, who carries the highest SR at 77 and a slightly friendlier weight of 8-12 versus Moon Sand's 9-9, and whose form of 70041 shows a sharp last-run win. Each-way alternative: Exchange Student. Main danger: Exchange Student — Exchange Student carries the field's highest SR at 77 with proven moderate distance and going credentials (DistFit:~ GoingFit:~), a last-run win in Form:70041, and a 6% market move inward at 4/1 — the weight of 8-12 (3lb less than Moon Sand) is a meaningful advantage if the +11 mark rise proves within his ceiling.

Verify· #20144

Full result

Winner: Moon Sand (FR) at SP 5/2J. Mr Fox’s picks highlighted in gold.

  1. 1 Moon Sand silks Moon Sand Fox #1 Joseph Patrick O'Brien · J M Sheridan 9/4
  2. 2 Romance silks Romance Fox #3 Josh Halley · Andrew Slattery 7/2
  3. 3 Gabby Hayes silks Gabby Hayes Fox #4 Noel Meade · Colin Keane 10/1
  4. 4 Closefield Beau silks Closefield Beau Daniel McLoughlin · Ben Coen 12/1
  5. 5 Supreme Act silks Supreme Act A. Slattery · Jimmy Dalton(7) 18/1
  6. 6 Exchange Student silks Exchange Student Fox #2 J A Stack · Julian Pietropaolo(7) 7/2
  7. 7 Matavai Bay silks Matavai Bay Kevin Thomas Coleman · Chris Hayes 18/1
  8. 8 Our Boy Bailey silks Our Boy Bailey Mrs J. Harrington · Keithen Kennedy(5) 9/1
  9. 9 Two Brigade silks Two Brigade M D O'Callaghan · Reese Holohan(7) 11/1
  10. 10 Somethingaboutlove silks Somethingaboutlove C W J Farrell · Rory Cleary 80/1
  11. — Margot Mae silks Margot Mae Mrs J. Harrington · Scott McCullagh 20/1
  12. — Scarlet Dream silks Scarlet Dream Adrian McGuinness · Adam Caffrey 28/1

Top 4 — how each finished

  1. 1 Moon Sand silks Moon Sand 3/1 SP 5/2J 🏆 WON
  2. 2 Exchange Student silks Exchange Student 4/1 6TH
  3. 3 Romance silks Romance 7/2 🥈 2ND
  4. 4 Gabby Hayes silks Gabby Hayes 8/1 🥉 3RD