You know how punters get lost in too much data or bet blindly? I break down the stats and trends so you can feel confident you’re betting with more than just gut instinct.
2026 Rockingham Handicap Preview
The Rockingham Handicap is run on the same day as the Irish Derby at the Curragh Racecourse. This Premier Handicap is open to runners that are aged three or older and is contested over the minimum trip of five furlongs.
For sponsorship purposes, the 2026 renewal of the Rockingham Handicap will hold the title of 'Dubai Duty Free Rockingham Handicap'.
Rockingham Handicap Information:
- Rockingham Handicap Past Winners
- Rockingham Handicap Trainer Statistics
- Rockingham Handicap Jockey Statistics
If you are interested in other predictions at Curragh, then head over to the Curragh tips page to see which runners are being supported by the OLBG racing tipsters and also compare those predictions to the runners that make the trend shortlist when added below. You may also be interested in other preview blogs that we have packed full of information. Head down to the Other Principal Races at Curragh Racecourse section for links to these.
Best Horse Racing Betting Sites 2026
How competitive is the Rockingham Handicap market? When looking at the over-rounds for the last 20 renewals, the most competitive market was in 2021, when the race had an over-round of 123%. The race in 2013 was a race that was most in the bookie's favour with an over-round of 148%, whilst on average over the last 20 renewals of the Rockingham Handicap, the over-round has been 131%, which means the bookie expects to pay out £100 for every £131 which is bet.
Below you will find the 2026 Rockingham Handicap Trends. See which patterns have occurred over the recent renewals that you may be able to use for the next renewal. We also have a section that looks at the Rockingham Handicap Trend Analysis. With the field now finalised, we have the 2026 Rockingham Handicap Runners & Shortlist, which is created using the listed trends.
These are the top three quickest-run Rockingham Handicap races over the last 20 renewals:
- Foxy Forever (57.77) in 2015
- Harrys Hill (57.77) in 2023
- Sir Maximilian (57.79) in 2014
Looking at the future form, is the winner worth following next time out? Over the past 20 renewals, if you had followed the winner of the Rockingham Handicap next time out, then you would have backed a total of 3 winners. Backing all 20 runners who have been out since their win at SP next time out would have returned an LSP of +0.25. Before placing your bet on the 2026 Rockingham Handicap, see which other runners today are being backed on the racing predictions page.
When looking over the past 20 renewals, a time of 57.77 was set by Foxy Forever in 2015, trained by Michael Wigham and ridden by Colm O'Donoghue, which is the quickest time over that period. The slowest winning time was set in 2007 when Rainbow Rising won in a time of 1:03.90 for trainer Adrian McGuinness, who booked Declan McDonogh in the saddle.
Rockingham Handicap Past Winners
Here are the Rockingham Handicap past winners for the last 10 renewals. Each row details the race year, the winning horse, and the horse's age & weight. Also detailed is the stall from which the horse came and the total number of runners in the race. The horse's trainer and the jockey at the time of winning the Rockingham Handicap are also displayed, along with the starting price at which the horse was sent off.
| Year | Horse (Drawn) | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 58.39 | Keke (GB) 5yo 9-4 (1 of 14) 11/4F | W J Lee Edward Lynam (IRE) |
| 2024 58.35 | Amazon Lady (IRE) 4yo 9-2 (1 of 16) 22/1 | W J Lee W McCreery (IRE) |
| 2023 57.77 | Harrys Hill (GB) 5yo 7-11 (19 of 16) 14/1 | Wayne Hassett (10lbs) Martin Hassett (IRE) |
| 2022 1:00.91 | Ano Syra (IRE) 3yo 8-1 (13 of 18) 9/2 | Jamie Powell (7lbs) John James Feane (IRE) |
| 2021 59.71 | Urban Beat (IRE) 6yo 10-0 (17 of 17) 9/1 | Ben Coen J P Murtagh (IRE) |
| 2020 58.59 | Strong Johnson (IRE) 4yo 8-9 (8 of 14) 5/2F | Colin Keane Kieran P Cotter (IRE) |
| 2019 59.30 | El Astronaute (IRE) 6yo 9-13 (14 of 16) 7/1F | Jason Hart John Quinn (GB) |
| 2018 59.00 | Battle Of Jericho (USA) 3yo 8-13 (5 of 17) 7/1 | Ryan Moore A P O'Brien (IRE) |
| 2017 58.40 | Tithonus (IRE) 6yo 8-8 (2 of 19) 14/1 | Rory Cleary Denis Gerard Hogan (IRE) |
| 2016 59.40 | Sors (IRE) 4yo 7-11 (13 of 13) 20/1 | Killian Leonard (7lbs) Andrew Slattery (IRE) |
Where have the winning runners come from?
Here are the countries where the winning trainers of the Rockingham Handicap have been based:
- IRE: 13 winners with an additional 33 placings from 243 runners
- GB: 7 winners with an additional 18 placings from 69 runners
Rockingham Handicap Trainer Statistics
The leading trainer in the Rockingham Handicap over the last 20 renewals is Adrian McGuinness, who has won the race twice, with those two winners coming from Rainbow Rising (2007) and Bubbly Bellini (2012).
Here are the Rockingham Handicap trainer statistics over the last 20 renewals for trainers who have entries in the 2026 renewal; those not listed have not had a runner. (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):
| Trainer | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adrian McGuinness | 12-2-2 | +3.00 | -2.01 |
| W McCreery | 12-1-3 | +11.00 | +6.06 |
| Denis Gerard Hogan | 5-1-1 | +10.00 | +4.75 |
| Martin Hassett | 5-1-1 | +10.00 | +4.75 |
| John James Feane | 5-1-2 | +0.50 | +2.06 |
| M D O'Callaghan | 5-0-1 | -5.00 | -3.25 |
| Tracey Collins | 5-0-0 | -5.00 | -5.00 |
| David O'Meara | 4-0-0 | -4.00 | -4.00 |
| Daniel James Murphy | 1-0-0 | -1.00 | -1.00 |
| Patrick J McKenna | 1-0-0 | -1.00 | -1.00 |
Rockingham Handicap Jockey Statistics
There are two leading jockeys in the Rockingham Handicap over the last 20 renewals, with both Rory Cleary and W J Lee, who have both won the race twice. Rory Cleary winners have been with Just For Mary (2009) and Tithonus (2017). W J Lee winners have been with Amazon Lady (2024) and Keke (2025). Two jockeys have not had the best of times over the last 20 renewals in the Rockingham Handicap, Wayne Lordan has ridden 12 runners in the race without recording any wins whilst Leigh Roche has ridden 11 without a winner.
Here are the Rockingham Handicap jockey statistics over the last 20 renewals for jockeys who have rides in the 2026 renewal; those not listed have not had a runner. (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):
| Jockey | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rory Cleary (Buddy Batt) | 12-2-2 | +13.00 | +4.38 |
| W J Lee (Stag Night) | 7-2-5 | +19.75 | +14.78 |
| Chris Hayes (Moltophino) | 16-1-2 | -10.50 | -9.19 |
| Colin Keane (Likedbymike) | 10-1-4 | -6.50 | -2.88 |
| Jamie Powell (Shadow Of The Moon) | 4-1-3 | +1.50 | +4.81 |
| Wayne Lordan (Gazelle dOr) | 12-0-0 | -12.00 | -12.00 |
| Leigh Roche (Back Down Under) | 11-0-3 | -11.00 | -5.25 |
| Gary Carroll (Erosandpsyche) | 5-0-0 | -5.00 | -5.00 |
| J M Sheridan (Sarahmae) | 2-0-0 | -2.00 | -2.00 |
| Adam Caffrey (Dark Ace) | 2-0-0 | -2.00 | -2.00 |
| Luke McAteer (Cuban Grey) | 1-0-1 | -1.00 | +0.19 |
| Wesley Joyce (Genesis) | 1-0-0 | -1.00 | -1.00 |
| Daniel Tudhope (Toca Madera) | 1-0-0 | -1.00 | -1.00 |
2026 Rockingham Handicap Trends
Favourites finishing positions (oldest to latest): 1, 8, 1, 7, 11, (1, 5), (3, 5), 3, 4, 2, 2, 10, 4, (1, 7, 16), 1, 4, 4, PU, 13, 1
The percentage shown is the proportion of runners who fell under that factor. High percentages are less appealing than lower ones, as you would expect them to do well.
- 20 / 20 (80%) - Break of 3 - 254 days (Last Place)
- 20 / 20 (82%) - Achieved a TS of 72+ (Last 5)
- 20 / 20 (86%) - Ran in 7 - 53 races (Career)
- 20 / 20 (86%) - Had 4 - 22 placings (Career)
- 20 / 20 (86%) - Placed within last 4 starts
- 20 / 20 (86%) - Held an OR of 67+ (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (87%) - Within the first 13 of the market
- 20 / 20 (88%) - Ran in 2 - 39 races (Trip)
- 20 / 20 (88%) - Achieved a TS of 41+ (LTO)
- 20 / 20 (89%) - Achieved a TS of 61+ (Season)
- 19 / 20 (82%) - No older than a 6yo
- 19 / 20 (83%) - No more than +3yrs (Vs Min Age)
- 17 / 20 (75%) - Achieved an RPR of 90+ (Career)
- 17 / 20 (76%) - Achieved an RPR of 78+ (LTO)
- 16 / 20 (50%) - Won within last 3 starts
Remember to use the trends listed above, along with the Curragh racing predictions, to see if you can find the winner of the Rockingham Handicap. Did you know that we have an OLBG Betting School section on OLBG? It is a place to help you improve your betting experience with articles covering numerous topics.
Are you already a member? If not, then why not? With over £6,000 given away each month in the tipster competition, why not get involved? Remember, it is completely FREE! So, head over to the registration page to sign up today! If you are already a member, then share your thoughts on the Rockingham Handicap by adding a tip on the race here.
101 Ways to find Winners in Horse Racing
2026 Rockingham Handicap Runners & Shortlist
Curragh will host the 2026 renewal of the Rockingham Handicap, which will be run at 1:40 pm on Sunday, 28th June 2026, and these are the runners who perform best based on the trends, along with the trainer, jockey and their record in the race (Runs-Wins-Places Win LSP / EW LSP):
- 15/15 Dark Ace (8/1)
- Adrian McGuinness (12-2-2 +3.00 / -2.01)
- Adam Caffrey (2-0-0 -2.00 / -2.00)
- 15/15 Toca Madera (7/2)
- David O'Meara (4-0-0 -4.00 / -4.00)
- Daniel Tudhope (1-0-0 -1.00 / -1.00)
Others: Gazelle dOr (14/15), Likedbymike (13/15), Stag Night (13/15), Sarahmae (13/15), Eclairage (12/15), Erosandpsyche (12/15), Kerdos (12/15), Genesis (11/15), Back Down Under (10/15), Buddy Batt (10/15), Moltophino (10/15), Red Evolution (10/15), Cuban Grey (8/15), Shadow Of The Moon (6/15) and Harrys Hill (3/15).
*Trainer & Jockey numbers are Runs-Wins-Places Win LSP / EW LSP, Runners, Odds and Trends Passed/Failed correct at the time of posting (1:31 pm Friday 26th June 2026), if no odds were available at the time of posting, then forecasted odds are used.
Rockingham Handicap Trend Analysis
✅ The trend factor, which has produced 10+ winners and shows the best LSP, an LSP of +47.50, is when runners had 1 win in the past 90 days.
❌ The worst performing factor that has failed to produce a single winner is when runners had 3 career wins in Handicap races, when backing these, the trend shows a record of 0-44.
Here are the most recent winning draws, along with the further placings in brackets:
- 2025: Winner in 1 (11,8) [14 Runners]
- 2024: Winner in 1 (9,7,6) [16 Runners]
- 2023: Winner in 19 (13,8,3) [16 Runners]
- 2022: Winner in 13 (3,18,15) [18 Runners]
- 2021: Winner in 17 (5,3,2) [17 Runners]
The course which has produced the most winners of the Rockingham Handicap is Curragh; there have been a total of 9 winners of this race who ran at Curragh last time out.
The race is open to both sexes, with male runners having produced a total of 18 winners from a total of 241 runners, while female runners have produced 2 winners from a total of 71 runners.
Looking over the past renewals, there is only one stallion whose offspring have produced multiple winners of the Rockingham Handicap; that stallion, Kodiac, has produced 2 winners (2022,2015).
These are the stallions whose offspring have not produced a winner of the Rockingham Handicap despite multiple attempts:
- Pivotal (0 Wins from 10 runners)
- Invincible Spirit (0 Wins from 8 runners)
- Oasis Dream (0 Wins from 8 runners)
- Choisir (0 Wins from 6 runners)
- Captain Rio (0 Wins from 5 runners)
Looking at the winning odds over the last 20 renewals, the biggest-priced winner was Amazon Lady in 2024, winning for W McCreery at odds of 22/1 under the guidance of W J Lee. Looking at the runners at the head of the market over the last 20 renewals, there have been 6 winning favourites in the race. Whilst we wait for the 2026 Rockingham Handicap, remember you can get daily racing predictions from the top racing tipsters on the best racing tipsters page.
Route to the Rockingham Handicap
Many trainers target races as preparation for the Rockingham Handicap. These are the races which the recent winners ran in before coming here:
| Info | Last Race |
|---|---|
| 2025 - Keke Curragh - 2nd of 15 (9/2) | Irish Stallion Farms EBF Habitat Handicap |
| 2024 - Amazon Lady Navan - 1st of 14 (11/1) | Bellinter Handicap |
| 2023 - Harrys Hill Tipperary - 12th of 15 (13/2) | TipperaryRacecourse.ie Handicap |
| 2022 - Ano Syra Curragh - 1st of 10 (4/1) | Sky Bet Junefest Handicap |
| 2021 - Urban Beat Curragh - 6th of 10 (12/1) | Greenlands Stakes |
| 2020 - Strong Johnson Curragh - 1st of 13 (7/2) | Platinum Bloodstock & Eyrefield House Stud Handicap |
| 2019 - El Astronaute Cork - 1st of 11 (11/4) | Matchbook Straight Midsummer Sprint Stakes |
| 2018 - Battle Of Jericho Ascot - 11th of 14 (50/1) | King Charles III Stakes |
| 2017 - Tithonus Navan - 11th of 14 (8/1) | Slane Handicap |
| 2016 - Sors Curragh - 11th of 19 (10/1) | TRM Supporting Global Champions Handicap |
Article Contributor Information
We are fortunate to have an excellent team of specialists and experts at OLBG. Contributing to the creation and maintenance of this Rockingham Handicap Preview are Andy and James. They both work on the Horse Racing Tips team, overseeing the tipsters and managing the tip settlement, while also creating and managing all the horse racing event previews for Flat racing.
James Banting
Expert Guide
Andy Powell
Expert Guide
Other Principal races at Curragh Racecourse
Here are some other notable races at the Curragh racecourse throughout the racing season that you may be interested in.
Races in March
Races in April
Races in May (Irish Guineas Festival)
Races in June
Races in July
Races in August
Races in September (Irish Champions Festival)
- Blandford Stakes
- Bold Lad Sprint Handicap
- Flying Five Stakes
- Irish St Leger
- Moyglare Stud Stakes
- National Stakes
- Northfields Handicap
