THE 2018 renewal of the Irish Derby at the Curragh is fast-approaching and bookmakers are beginning to make their feelings clear with the ante-post market taking shape.

Punters will find there’s plenty of value to be had, too, with a great deal of indecisiveness among traders.

The historic Group 1 flat race was first run back in 1866 when won by Selim and followers of Irish racing watched on in amazement as Capri added his name to the list of winners 12 months ago when Aidan O’Brien’s star held off Cracksman to scoop the €855,000 winner’s cheque by a neck. The favourite Wings Of Eagles finished third in a bunch finish that day, a short-head behind, and never raced again due to injury.

The 12-furlong spectacle remains a favourite with both avid and casual followers of the sport, and there’s a range of weird and wonderful techniques adopted by punters to find the champion, ranging from the simple value horse racing betting strategy to the rather more complicated Dutching. Those who prefer to put trust in the oddsmakers when putting together their horse racing betting tips will find Saxon Warrior the go-to runner this summer.

The three-year-old colt already boasts an impressive record of four wins from five starts and connections will be confident he can move his tally to five with a victory on the big stage, a result that would go some way to removing the bad taste from the mouths of backers following his defeat last time.

Aidan O’Brien’s bay won on debut at the Curragh last year over a mile, scoring by a sizeable margin at a cracking price of 8/1. Bookmakers took him lightly that day, but they weren’t about to make the same mistake again and had Saxon Warrior an odds-on favourite when doubling up at Naas a month later in the Group 2 Juddmonte Beresford Stakes.

Showing no signs of slowing up the team of Saxon Warrior and jockey Ryan Moore appeared in the winner’s enclosure at Doncaster – Racing Post Trophy Stakes – before the champion trainer’s son Donnacha took the reigns for success in the 2000 Guineas around Newmarket when beating 50/1 runner-up Tip Two Win by one and a half lengths.

Seemingly untouchable, they took their show to Epsom last weekend for the Derby and, despite going to post a 4/5 favourite with bookmakers, heavily supported in both the ante-post and on the day betting, he finished a disappointing fourth behind winner Masar.

Moore was back in the saddle but found no end of problems with little race room in the early exchanges and towards the business end of the battle.

Still, few excuses can be made for the bare result, and Saxon Warrior has plenty to prove at the Curragh. His trainer Aidan O’Brien was humble in defeat

was humble in defeat, reminding followers of the horse’s lack of experience at this level and remaining confident that the horse will show his best form again.

Will we see a quick-fire return to form? The best price currently is 6/4 from William Hill on Saxon Warrior winning the Irish Derby. Despite the horse losing his 100% record last time, there will be many shrewd punters happy to have a go at the price knowing he has been odds-on in two of his last four.

The main danger – according to bookmakers – comes from Derby winner Masar, who is looking to complete a memorable month. The 7/4 price tag you’ll find on Charlie Appleby’s upsetter has him a competitive second-favourite, with Dee Ex Bee making up the top three.