Jaysella’s & The Mandarin’s Saturday Selections for 8th August 2026

Jaysella’s Saturday Selections from Newmarket & The Mandarin’s Picks from Haydock Park plus Marie-Francoise’s Deauville Selections

Newmarket

Newsells Park Stud Sweet Solera Stakes (Group 3) (Fillies) 1.55
Graceful Song (nap)
Well, I reckon this is very much a two horse race, as Charlie Appleby’s Graceful Song takes on Kevin Philippart De Foy’s Nuit d’Eclair. I do get it that Nuit d’Eclair has a racing edge, having finished well in the Group 3 Princess Margaret at Ascot two weeks back, in what looked a pretty hot contest, but there was also plenty to like about Charlie boy’s Graceful Song on her debut run here at headquarters, going away under Billy Loughnane inside the final furlong. This daughter of Dubawi will be racing over further in time, but must come on for that first run and can be another of a fine string of Juveniles Charlie Appleby turns out around this time of year. Sir Mark Prescott’s Martinet completes my three, but Billy Loughnane on Graceful Song looks to be the one to follow, right?

William Hill Epic Boost Nursery Handicap 2.30
Eabha
I think I might take a chance on Eve Johnson-Houghton’s Eabha for this Nursery, though it could go close between her and Charlie Appleby’s Mysterious Times. Both have decent enough claims in my book, with Eabha winning well at Epsom last month and Mysterious Times stepping up in trip after a four and three-quarter length second to Flann Sunna at Ascot last time out. William Knight’s Sanbona Warrior won at Doncaster three weeks back, and is at the best of the weights of these three, but Eabha showed plenty of toe last time so gets my vote.

Haydock Park

Betway Rose Of Lancaster Stakes (Group 3) 2.25
Nahraan (nb)
All in all bit of a poser this one, but I do think that John & Thady Gosdens’ Nahraan is the one to keep on side. This Make Believe colt’s ninth in the Wolferton Stakes at Royal Ascot was, I thought, a better result than it looked on bare paper, with Oisin Murphy getting closed out when just making a run inside the two furlong pole. To be fair that was an ultra competitive race for the grade, so in calmer waters, Nahraan rates the biggest danger to the hot favourite Sallaal, as the in-form Roger Varian looks to score a hat-trick with his Frankel gelding. A good race in prospect, with Karl Burke’s Convergent not out of it, but I’ll trust Oisin Murphy to get Nahraan upsides of Sallaal.

Irish Stallion Farms EBF Dick Hearn Stakes (Listed) 3.00
Alobayyah
What an interesting clash of the ages is this Listed Dick Hearn Stakes. Pitch the five time Group One winner Fallen Angel against the young pretenders, Owen Burrows’ Calendar Girl and Andrew Balding’s Pacific Mission, then add some spice with the improving Ghaiyyath filly Alobayyah, and this is quite a fascinating contest. I do think that Karl Burke’s Irish 1,000 Guineas winner of 2024 wasn’t quite the force of old when fourth of four over 10 furlongs in the Middleton at York back in May, so the Spigot Lodge handler brings her back to her favoured mile trip, while the three year olds Calendar Girl and Pacific Mission must prove their worth against their elders. Weight in hand for the youngsters, but I like the appeal of the Ghaiyyath filly Alobayyah, who could well take to this galloping course, so that’s my pick, with Calendar Girl my each-way shout.

Deauville

Prix de Reux (Group 3) 12.58
Parachutiste
Oh yes, I ‘am very very excited about this race, the Prix de Reux, and although it was the horse of William Haggas, Tenability that I first thought of to win, non, it must be Parachutiste. C’est possible that my head is to be ruling my heart for this, as when Tenability beat the very good Hamish in the Tapster Stakes at Goodwood on the soft ground, I had him in my heart marked down for this 2,400 metre trip when here in France, but my head is saying now that Parachutiste must be the one. Francis-Henri Graffard’s Dubawi gelding has such strong form in his book, just the head behind Joseph O’Brien’s Sons And Lovers in the Prix Maurice de Nieuil on his last run, I must follow my head to say he is the most improved of these four year olds. Oui, Parachutiste will win, with Tenability being the one very close.

Prix de la Vallee d’Auge (Listed) 1.33
Drazinda
Oolala, this Prix de la Vallee d’Auge must go to Francis Henri-Graffard’s Drazinda. It is true that she did not make the waves non? in the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot, but c’est possible that fast ground did not suit her. D’accord, but in her last run in the Prix Yacowlef she was finishing very very well to get to a length behind Crownbreaker, and that is this form I like. The raiders from Angleterre, Kentucky Rain, Social Symbol, Roxelina, Vollering and Terminology can all be very good, but it is Drazinda they must all beat, so it must be this Listed prize that will stay here in France!