The Mandarin’s & Marie-Francoise Saturday Selections for 16th August 2025

The Mandarin’s & Marie-Francoise Saturday Selections from Newbury, The Curragh & Deauville

Newbury

Highclere Thoroughbred Racing Geoffrey Freer Stakes (Group 3) 1.50
Epic Poet
I’ll take the chance that the racing experience of Epic Poet will pay off over this trip for David O’Meara. With plenty of money down for Ralph Beckett’s Pinhole this week, to a point justified after a decent enough win in a good Handicap at Ascot last month, though how much that was down to first-time cheekpieces will be in evidence here. Candleford has scored three times at Listed level, so must be knocking on the door for a first Group win, and this completes the shortlist. Epic Poet to be back to his best over this trip and score ahead of Candleford and Pinhole.

Visit Malta Hungerford Stakes (Group 2) 3.35
More Thunder
Definitely one on the up is William Haggas’s More Thunder, and he’s just vastly improved this term for the in-form Somerville Lodge handler. When he won the Bunbury Cup last month, from a far side draw that wasn’t where the pace was, he left it late to get upsides of final furlong leader, Aalto, though you could argue it was a superbly timed ride from Tom Marquand! Either way, they are at Newbury Park now, where there’s less emphasis on draw bias over this trip, and with front runners not having a great record here, More Thunder can be dropped in and make his usual late charge. Ralph Beckett’s King’s Gamble rates the big threat, along with Dr Richard Newland’s Witness Stand, who has the brilliant Billy Loughnane aboard, but More Thunder is the one I’m on.

The Curragh

Mitsubishi Electric Curragh Irish EBF Curragh Stakes (Listed) 2.52
Kansas
This is going be a close call between Aidan O’Brien’s Kansas, Stephen Thorne’s Jack The Bachelor and Adrian Murray’s Ipanema Queen. There’s going to plenty of pace over this 5 furlong trip, with the three of them coming out of Stalls 3,5&6, and looking at past races I’ll be expecting Jack The Bachelor to make a bid for the front. That tactic worked for Stephen Thorne’s Mehmas colt, when he got away from Kansas at Cork, who was much too far back, but I think Ryan Moore won’t be giving him too much rope this time around. Kansas to reverse the Cork placings, with Ipanema Queen keeping them honest.

Newbridge Silverware Royal Whip Stakes (Group 3) 3.27
Los Angeles (nb)
The Irish Derby winner of last year, Los Angeles, obviously gives plenty of weight all round for that Group One win, but should still be winning this. Of course, the improving Zahrann is the big danger; Johnny Murtagh’s Night Of Thunder colt went close enough when runner-up to Amiloc in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot, and runs from the same mark here eased to a Group 3. However, Los Angeles is a three-time Group One winner, so his class should prevail despite giving nearly a stone away to Zahrann.

Comer Group International Irish St Leger Trial Stakes (Group 3) 4.37
Absurde
Willie Mullins’s Absurde looks the one to follow for this St Leger Trial. He rarely puts in a poor run and has been behind Al Qareem (twice) and Illinois this season, so there’s been plenty of depth in the races he’s contested. Puppet Master has been topping the ante post markets this week, but needs to convince after an underwhelming showing in the Irish Derby last time out, and if he’s not on a going day, Absurde looks a steal at around 2/1, while Joseph O’Brien’s Uxmal looks mispriced in the markets to me. Absurde to make a mockery of his price, with Uxmal taken to make a race of it. Tempting for the reverse forecast at the prices I’m seeing on Friday!

Deauville

Prix Guillaime d’Ornano (Group 2) 2.50
Cualificar (nap)
Oui, this is a very good race, the Prix Guillaume d’Ornarno, and I am very excited by Andre Fabre’s Cualificar, who I think you will remember from the Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly. This Lope De Vega colt pushed Camille Pissarro very hard to the line in that Group One Classic, and this to me is a much lesser plate, so I will be supporting him with all my heart. Brian Meehan has sent over Rashabar, who is the one I will be looking out for, but to me, he seems to be coming in as the runner-up maybe too often. Oui, I think that Cualificar is the one to be winning this Group 2, with Rashabar making this a good race.