The Mandarin’s, Jaysella’s & Caroline’s Saturday Selections for 21st February 2026

The Mandarin’s Saturday Selections from Kempton, Jaysella’s Newcastle Pick & Caroline’s Fairyhouse Selections

Kempton Park

Ladbrokes Adonis Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 2) 1.45
Precious Man (nap)
Course winner Precious Man does look the one to follow for the Adonis, with the bookies taking no chances after his win here on Boxing Day. The markets think this is a showdown between Dan Skelton’s charge and Harry Derham’s One Horse Town, and I’d pretty much go along with that view. It does get interesting when you remember that One Horse Town was nigh on 4 lengths to the good of Precious Man, in the Triumph Trial at Cheltenham’s Autumn meeting run on heavy ground, but he’s been on the go for the best part of a year now, so Precious Man might just have the fresher legs of this pair of four year olds. La Luna Artista completes my list of three, but I do like Precious Man’s turn of foot and think he’ll win.

Ladbrokes Pendil Novices’ Chase (Grade 2) 2.25
Go West
Just the four, but a trappy little contest for all that. I do like the appeal of Lucy Wadham’s Jax Junior, and there has been plenty of money going down this week on this course winner, but I’ve a sneaky suspicion that Paul Nicholls Go West will do better from the front, given that getting a lead can count for plenty here at Kempton Park, and that Jax Junior ran at Sandown Park on soft ground just three weeks back. Here, maybe less emphasis on stamina and more on speed methinks, so Go West lights those buttons for me. Harry Derham’s Jasmine Bliss can go well after winning a Listed contest at Huntingdon last time out, but I’ll take Go West to score under Harry Cobden.

Ladbrokes Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2) 3.00
Mustang Du Breuil
With a significant weight advantage, I’m finding Nicky Henderson’s Mustang Du Breuil easy to back. This French import, lining up in the green and gold of JP McManus won a Juvenile Hurdle at Doncaster with quite a bit in hand earlier this month, and there’s every chance he’ll go in for the career hat-trick, with conditions taken to suit and another flat track just the ticket. Nicky Henderson does well with these types, and the turn of foot that Mustang Du Breuil showed on the Town Moor track gives me confidence he can take on his elders to win. The hat-trick seeking Onlyforfrankie and Harry Skelton’s Double Measure look the big players for this Grade 2, but I’ll chance my arm with the featherweight of Mustang Du Breuil.

Ladbrokes Trophy Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) 3.35
Henry’s Friend
As usual, a really competitive handicap chase here at Kempton Park, but I’ll gamble on Henry’s Friend to take this. I’m going to take some positives from his last run at Ascot, in the Howden Silver Cup, where he went well from the head of things for a long way, before being swallowed up by a competitive field rounding the home turn. However, Henry’s Friend did plenty of work for them all then, but the way Ben Pauling and Ben Jones have been notching up the winners over fences the last couple of years, this could be another big prize they have claims for. Last season’s winner, Sam Thomas’s Katate Dori is much higher in the weights this year, while Anthony Honeyball’s Kdeux Saint Fray finished like a train las time out at Cheltenham, and this pair both make the shortlist, while Irish raider Chance Another One could be in the mix for his canny trainer, Emmet Mullins. An each way gamble on Henry’s Friend is where I’m going, with Katate Dori and Kdeaux Saint Fray the obvious dangers.

Newcastle

Virgin Bet Daily Extra Places Eider Handicap Chase 2.43
Anglers Crag (nb)
Jeez, it’s a bloody long way up here from the Home Counties, but hey, well worth it for all the company up here in the North East. Now, it’s your biggest Chase of the year, the Eider, and there’s no ducking out over this four mile plus trip. It’s obvious to me that Nicky Richards has laid out Anglers Crag for this, and the 2024 winner under Brian Ellison has to have as good a chance as any, despite being older than most, but nowt wrong with an older one I say! Now, I do like Sara Bradstock’s Mr Vango for these extreme trips, but the more mud the better for her stable star, while Dom Of Mary has to be on anyones’ shortlist too. All about the conditions, I guess, but it’s Anglers Crag that floats my boat, and that is my Eider pick for 2026!

Fairyhouse

Bar 1 Betting Bobbyjo Chase (Grade 3) 3.15
Gerri Colombe
Well now, this is a Bobbyjo full of questions. And do I have the answers? I hope so. The prices in the ante post markets should always guide us, but as it happens it’s been pretty open contest, with Grangeclare West, Spanish Harlem & Three Card Brag all topping the lists this week. However, I’ll be siding with Gerri Colombe to cause a surprise in this Grade 3. Now then, as I’m putting this to yuzz all on Friday afternoon, he’s being marked out as a 16/1 shot in places, and I’m of the opinion that’s a very generous offer. I do know that after a year off, doubts will remain, but that 3 mile hurdle at Gowran Park the last day showed there’s plenty of class left, so Gerri Colombe is given my ticket to bounce back. Being a five time Grade One winner is proof of his ability, so It’s Gerri Colombe for a place at the very least for me!

Group Discounts On Easter Festival General Admission Rated Novice Chase 3.45
Showurappreciation
I gave Jonathan Sweeney’s Showurappreciation for the National Qualifier at Punchestown the last day, and I’ll be sure to back him again here. He’s got heavy ground to deal with, over a new longer trip, but to my mind he’s one going the right way and with Mark Walsh seeing him through, I am finding him easy to follow. Ross O’Sullivan’s Nelson County and Henry de Bromhead’s Rokathir are the ones to give a second look at, but Showurappreciation gets my vote.