The Mandarin and Caroline’s Monday Selections for December 29th 2025

The Mandarin’s Selections from Newbury Park & Doncaster and Caroline’s Selections from Leopardstown

Newbury Park

Coral Mandarin Handicap Chase 1.50
King’s Threshold
It could pay to side with Emma Lavelle’s King’s Threshold for the Mandarin Chase. She couldn’t really better her choice of jockey here, with Ben Jones riding the crest of a wave after winning the King George VI on Boxing Day, and with a decent record around here, I’d expect King’s Threshold to go close. Jamie Snowden is another trainer that is in form, so Only The Bold should be prominent in the market, while Joe Tizzard’s Rivers Corner was third to O’connell at Sandown latest in the London National, which looks very strong form with O’connell chasing home Haiti Couleurs in the Welsh National on Saturday. King’s Threshold to prevail, with Ben Jones continuing a fine run of winners.

Coral Challow Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) 3.00
No Drama This End
Lining up in the McNeill family silks, No Drama This End looks a worthy favourite, and will be hot property if he wins this. The Ditcheat yard has a record second to none in this Grade One, with only Dan Skelton’s The New Lion to have won this apart from Paul Nicholls in the last five years, which is a significant trend to follow. With good reason too, as No Drama This End won the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham’s Autumn meeting before scoring at Sandown Park in the Winter Novices’ Hurdle, and I’ll take Paul Nicholls to make it five from six. Philip Hobbs & Johnson White’s Starzand is the one to make a race of it, but No Drama This End is very hard to oppose at a price to match.

Coral “Pipped-At-The-Post” Payouts Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase 3.35
Guard The Moon
A decent enough hurdler, Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davie’s Guard The Moon can make into an even better chaser. He certainly got off to a good start in this sphere, winning with plenty in hand at Aintree earlier this month on soft ground, so conditions and trip should be just the ticket here. Second to the big improver Impose Toi in a handicap hurdle here in November of last year shows a liking for this track, so I’m expecting a big run, with Rebecca Curtis’s Newton Tornado the likely biggest threat. This pair can battle it out, but Guard The Moon gets the nudge from me.

Doncaster

Sky Sports Racing Yorkshire Silver Vase Mares’ Chase (Listed) 2.10
Spindleberry (nb)
A chance to see the smart Spindleberry in the second run of this campaign, as Willie Mullins mare goes for the five-timer. I can’t see any reason not to back her for this, with both the ground and the trip ideal, though Faye Bramley’s hat-trick seeking Paggane is also well regarded. It’s perhaps unusual to find the other Willie Mullins runner, Fun Fun Fun, only third of four in the market of those with a realistic chance, but Spindleberry does look a very strong favourite. Nice to see Bryony Frost back on English soil, but it’s Spindleberry that should be winning this.

Leopardstown

Irish Stallion Farms EBF Kerrymount Mares Hurdle (Grade 3) 1.22
Wodhooh
Eight from nine over hurdles now, and I’ll reckon you’ll be getting sparse return from any bookmaker for Wodhooh. This Le Havre mare has been brilliant since switching from Sir Michael Stoute’s yard to Gordon Elliott’s Cullentra base, and having won the Grade 2 Ascot Hurdle the last day, is almost impossible to oppose for this Grade 3, despite carrying extra weight for her previous successes. Both Gavin Cromwell’s Sixandahalf and Paul Nolan’s Feet Of A Dancer are decent enough on their day, but I think they might both have met their match here. Wodhooh to win at a canter, but backing her is a bit of risk for some pretty meagre returns.

December Hurdle (Grade 1) 2.32
Lossiemouth (nap)
Yet another favourite for Leopardstown’s Monday card, but to my mind this is the most convincing of all. She’s won eight Grade Ones, and looked better than ever when cruising home in the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown the last day, and still only six may not have even reached her ceiling yet. Now, Gordon Elliott is in red hot form over this Christmas schedule, so Brighterdaysahead is taken to keep Lossiemouth up to her work, but it is still a big ask even at her very best. Lossiemouth to make it a ninth Grade One without really breaking sweat is my call.

Neville Hotels Premier Handicap Hurdle (Listed) 3.05
Air Of Entitlement
I think I’ll take a chance on Henry de Bromhead’s Air Of Entitlement for this Listed Hurdle. I’m of the opinion that she can reverse the form with Fad Eadrainn from their clash in a Rated Hurdle at Fairyhouse the last day, and she should come on for that run. Good enough to run in a Grade One also at Fairyhouse back in April, I reckon this to be a lenient mark now in a handicap, so with conditions fine Air Of Entitlement does look a bit long in the markets, maybe as a result of a couple of Willie Mullins fancies skewing the betting. I have to say, after Sunday’s racing, that there was a little bit of gloss taken off the Closutton runners, who like Galopin Des Champs might have needed a run, but Zillow still has strong claims. Air Of Entitlement as an each way angle does look a good bet, so I’ll stick my pin there!