The Mandarin’s Cheltenham Racecard & Sunday Selections for 17th November 2024

The Mandarin’s Cheltenham Racecard & Sunday Selections for 17th November

Sha Tin

BOCHK Private Banking Jockey Club Sprint (Group 2) 07.30
Ka Ying Rising
The newest sprint star in Hong Kong has had a brilliant 2024, only seeing the rear view of one rival, Wunderbar, who beat him twice in January. He now makes the move out of handicap company into a Group race, but gets a 5lb pull from main rivals, the Group One winners California Spangle, Victor The Winner and Invincible Sage. California Spangle was 3 lengths adrift in third when they met here last month, and now six, he’s probably peaked as a sprinter and may return to the mile soon enough. Not yet though, so expect California Spangle to be a bit closer after that first race after a break, but Ka Ying Rising is the one to follow.

BOCHK Private Wealth Jockey Club Mile (Group 2) 08.05
Beauty Eternal
Johnny Size will surely have Beauty Eternal fully tuned up for this Group 2 contest after fading out of contention the last day. He went well for a long way, but Zac Purton didn’t push him out in the final furlong, better to save him for bigger dates in the diary. Galaxy Patch won that Sha Tin Trophy Handicap and will be up for the four-timer here, while Voyage Bubble probably has more wins in him over this trip. Beauty Eternal to line up a sharper tool this time around, so gets the vote.

BOCHK Jockey Club Cup (Group 2) 08.40
Romantic Warrior
Simply the best 10 furlong horse in Hong Kong, and it would be a huge surprise to see him go down here. Last seen in the Yasuda Kinen in Tokyo back in June, the first horse trained outside of Japan to score in that Group One for eighteen years. There’s probably no other rival in this field that can lay a hand on Romantic Warrior, so it’s his to lose.

Cheltenham

Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice Maiden Hurdle 1.10
Ace Of Spades
Sunday’s opener can go to Ace Of Spades, who wouldn’t have to improve much from the last day at Exeter. He led approaching the last, but Joe Tizzard’s Ambion View just got the better of him on the run-in over that extended two miles, going down by a short head. Back to two miles, he looks the one to follow with Irish raider Whimsy keeping him honest.

mallardjewellers.com Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase 1.45
Peaky Boy
It’s horses for courses here as Nicky Henderson’s Peaky Boy looks to make it a Prestbury Park hat-trick. This lightly raced Kayf Tara gelding took a decent maiden on New Year’s Day on heavy ground by a cosy margin, and closed the season with a novices’ hurdle win on quicker ground. This is a much anticipated start to his novice chasing campaign, and with a clear round of fencing has to be respected. Nico de Boinville’s got the job of setting up Peaky Boy for the fences, and keeping tabs on Lucinda Russell’s Primoz, who looks the pick of the rest.

Three Counties Christmas Handicap Chase 2.20
Calico (nap)
Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Matata and Dan Skelton’s Calico face up to each other once again. They were first and second over course and distance at the October meeting, with Calico just holding on to go in by a neck, and although Matata is 1lb better off this time, and will be looking to run the race out of Calico it should be close between them again. It’s going to be a trappy affair with just the four lining up, and Olly Murphy’s Gunsight Ridge is also a player, but Calico gets the nudge for the in-form Skelton team.

Holland Cooper Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) 2.55
Monbeg Genius
This is a pretty hot handicap for a decent prize, and plenty with claims, but Monbeg Genius looks mispriced in the ante-post markets so we’ll side with him. These conditions will suit, and he’s unexposed at marathon trips, with a full diary that includes the Hennessey at Newbury and the Bechers at Aintree this side of Christmas. Kim Bailey’s Does He Know won this in 2022, and has a decent record around here, while the admirable Rose Of Arcadia is out of the handicap, but is as hard as teak, so completes the shortlist. Monbeg Genius a cracking each-way chance.

Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) (Grade 3) 3.30
Dysart Enos (nb)
A fascinating clash in store between James Owen’s highly rated Burdett Road and Fergal O’Brien’s Dysart Enos. Up and coming trainer James Owen is going great guns at his Green Ridge yard, and Burdett Road did win a Grade 2 Juvenile over course and distance last year, but Dysart Enos was a huge fancy for the Mares’ Novice Hurdle at the Festival until encountering a setback, so can make up for that here now in open company. There’s a few other likely types, not least Emmet Mullins Irish raider Jacovec Cavern and Nicky Henderson’s Under Control, but Dysart Enos is the one to beat.

Junior Jumpers Open National Hunt Flat Race (Listed) 4.00
Fortune De Mer
The last race of the Autumn meeting can go to Fortune De Mer to cap a great week for Dan and Harry Skelton. This Doyen sired gelding might have won here the last day but for hanging left inside the final furlong over course and distance, gifting the race to the re-opposing Block Rockin Beats. That said, Fortune De Mer has been nudged up 1lb for this contest, while there’s been plenty of money down on John Nallen’s Minella Hollow, with Sam Twiston-Davies getting the leg-up a notable booking. They’re the three to keep on side, with Fortune De Mer appealing the most.

The Mandarin