Who won the 18:55 Ballinrobe on 22 June 2026?
Merlin The Wizard (GB) won the 18:55 Ballinrobe at SP 4.50. Ridden by Dylan Browne McMonagle. Trained by R P Cody.
← All racecards18:55
Ballinrobe
IrelandMichael Joyce Memorial Handicap
Monday, 22 June 2026
1m1½f·Flat·Yielding·10 runners·€8,835
Result
AI top pick wonat SP 7/2·4.50Race report
- 1stMerlin The Wizard (GB)AI top pick · 61.8Dylan Browne McMonagle·R P Cody7/2·4.50SP
- 2ndDaler (IRE)Colin Keane·G M Lyons·beaten 1.25 lengths5/1·6.00SP
- 3rdMarmeladova (IRE)Billy Lee·K J Condon·beaten 1 length15/8F·2.88SP
Race time
2m 10.45s+4.95s vs std
Slow — could be soft ground, easy lead, or tactical race.
In-running (Merlin The Wizard (GB))
“Moved up quickly behind the leader - took second early - led 2f out - put the race to bed over a furlong out - advantage cut into toward the line but always holding on”
Settled · 1pt level stake = 3.50 pt return on the winnerTipping P&L →
Furlong's verdict
Reading the form…
AI-written, grounded in our data on this race. May be wrong. Verify before staking. Opinion, not advice.
Selections by model
Head-to-head dashboard →v1.061.8/100 rating
Merlin The Wizard
6.00Betfair Exchange· informational only
Top-rated, but filter rejects this race
v1.1
No pick
Race outside the segment-edge filter
Each-way61.8/100 rating
Merlin The Wizard
6.00Betfair Exchange
Top-half AI rating in the EW price sweet spot. Each-way splits stake: half on the win, half on the place portion.
Racing Alpha pick
Merlin The Wizard
Dylan Browne McMonagle · R P Cody · 6yo
61.8/100
+4.1 vs next best (57.7)
The Racing Alpha rating combines four signals. Below is the breakdown — components driving this pick first.
- Trainer20% weight100very strongR P Cody: 2/3 winners last 14d (67%)
- Freshness10% weight70strong12d since last run (quick turnaround)
- Form20% weight54averageLast 6: 0-2-5-3-8-1
- Ratings50% weight48below averageOR 72
MarketBest price 6.00 (Betfair Exchange) — 3rd pick of 10 in market. AI is contrarian here.
v1.3 rating · weights and method explained on /about. Tips are opinions, not advice.
Runners
| Pos | # | Dr | Horse | Jockey / Trainer | Form | Wt | OR | RPR | TS | AI | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | 2 | 4yo · G · btp | 64871 | 10-02 | 82 | — | — | 52.2 | 5/1·6.00 SP | |
| 8 | 2 | 7 | 6yo · G · gr | 15000 | 10-02 | 82 | — | — | 45.0 | 40/1·41.00 SP | |
| 4 | 3 | 3 | 4yo · G · bp | 30166 | 10-00 | 80 | — | — | 52.9 | 4/1·5.00 SP | |
| 10 | 4 | 5 | 4yo · G · gr | 78000 | 9-11 | 77 | — | — | 43.1 | 25/1·26.00 SP | |
| 5 | 5 | 4 | 5yo · G · gr/bp | 00688 | 9-11 | 77 | — | — | 46.2 | 16/1·17.00 SP | |
| 3 | 6 | 1 | 5yo · M · b | 20814 | 9-09 | 75 | — | — | 43.3 | 15/8F·2.88 SP | |
| 7 | 7 | 9 | 4yo · F · b | 52200 | 9-06 | 72 | — | — | 45.1 | 18/1·19.00 SP | |
| 1 | 8 | 6 | 6yo · G · b | 025381 | 9-06 | 72 | — | — | 61.8 | 7/2·4.50 SP | |
| 9 | 9 | 8 | 5yo · M · bt | 41874 | 9-05 | 71 | — | — | 52.1 | 40/1·41.00 SP | |
| 6 | 11 | 11 | 6yo · G · bt | 27410 | 9-02 | 68 | — | — | 57.7 | 11/1·12.00 SP | |
| — | — | 10 | 4yo · G · bb | 10508 | 9-03 | 69 | — | — | 35.2 | — |
Frequently asked questions
Did the Racing Alpha AI tip win the 18:55 Ballinrobe?
Yes — the AI top-rated horse, Merlin The Wizard, won the race (AI score 61.8).
What were the placings in the 18:55 Ballinrobe?
Top finishers: 1. Merlin The Wizard (GB) (4.50), 2. Daler (IRE) (6.00), 3. Marmeladova (IRE) (2.88).
What was the winning time for the 18:55 Ballinrobe?
The winning time was 2m 10.45s, 4.95s slower than standard.
Racing Post verdict
Third-partyMarmeladova won her maiden at today's course earlier in her career and makes her handicap debut off a mark of 75 that looks fair — effective at 7–10f on a sound surface and with scope for more. Daler arrives in winning form and is capable of better, though the 7lb rise is a test, while Flying Fortress and Merlin The Wizard also hold claims. Marmeladova is our selection.
Racing Post pick: Marmeladova
Editorial verdict from Racing Post via the Racing API — not generated by Racing Alpha.
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