The Mandarin’s Saturday Selections for 15th March 2025

The Mandarin’s Saturday Selections from Thurles, Uttoxeter & Kempton

Thurles

Pierce Molony Memorial Novice Chase (Grade 3) 2.30
High Class Hero (nap)
Back from the Cheltenham Festival with plenty of plaudits for his big team over at Prestbury Park, Willie Mullins can continue the winning thread here with High Class Hero. This lightly raced eight year old scored over fences at the second time of asking at Punchestown, and although this race is bit sharper over this two and a half mile trip, he should have enough class to beat main rival, Joseph O’Brien’s Common Practice. Into a Graded race on just his third start, but looks the one to follow.

Jimmy Neville Memorial Hurdle 4.15
Asterion Forlonge
A very classy hurdler in his prime, this should be easy pickings for Asterion Forlonge in this grade. That said, Shark Hanlon’s Hewick is smart, and although better known as a chaser these days, is sure to give Asterion Forlonge plenty to think about. It’s only been three years since Kilcruit was third to Constitution Hill, in the Supreme Novices’ at the Cheltenham Festival, and reverting to timber here must be noted. These are the three, but Asterion Forlonge should go in.

Uttoxeter

JenningsBet Midland Grand National (Handicap Chase) (Premier Handicap) 3.00
Mr Vango
Sara Bradstock’s Mr Vango can defy top weight to land the Midlands National. Still unexposed over fences, and hardly over raced after just the ten starts under rules, he won emphatically when last seen in the Peter Marsh at Haydock Park after favourite Royale Pagaille made a race-ending error at the thirteenth. looking to go on to be an out and out stayer, Mr Vango will still be going strong when plenty of others have thrown in the towel, with Eider Chase winner, Knockanore sure to make a race of it. These are just the sort of contests that Lucinda Russell does well in, so Apple Away completes the shortlist, but Mr Vango edges it for us.

JenningsBet Novices’ Handicap Chase 3.35
Walk On Quest
Lucinda Russell arrives here after a successful Cheltenham Festival with another win in the Ultima, and her prolific Walk On Quest can take this valuable prize. He completed a four-timer for this season with a win at Kelso, and can absorb the hit from the Handicapper to make it five from five over fences. Dan Skelton’s Deafening Silence rates the main danger with Grade 2 form over timber, and a win over fences last time out, but Walk On Quest gets 7lbs from Deafening Silence which gets him the vote.

Kempton Park

Virgin Bet Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle 1.37
Miss Altea Blue
An interesting opener where a marginal preference is given to last week’s Wincanton scorer, Miss Altea Blue. She looked to have plenty left under the bonnet after making all from the second, and despite the quick turnaround can go in again. Both Nicky Henderson’s Timetoshine and Tom Ellis’s Anariza have claims, but Miss Altea Blue did look good last week, so gets the nudge.

Virgin Bet Daily Price Boosts Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase 2.10
Asta La Pasta
Dan Skelton’s Asta La Pasta has only won the once over fences, in a three runner race at Carlisle, but has been knocking on the door in his other four starts this season. With the yard in good nick, and Tristan Durrell’s 3lb claim a useful offset, Asta La Pasta can take this. Nicky Henderson’s First Street was smart over timber, and did have a wind op back in October, so if that’s had any effect he remains unexposed over fences, and looks sure to be in the mix.

Virgin Bet Daily Extra Places Handicap Chase 3.20
Outlaw Peter (nb)
Horses for courses here as Outlaw Peter returns to Kempton Park, where he has won three times in five starts. This is his time of year too, so a big run is expected, but Freddie Gingell will need to keep tabs on last month’s course and distance winner Bad, although he’s taken a hit from the Handicapper for that win, and the quicker ground here does ask a question. Dan Skelton’s Flegmatik also has a decent record round here, so also enters the reckoning, but Outlaw Peter is the one to keep on side.

Virgin Bet Every Saturday Money Back Handicap Chase 4.32
Slipway
A tricky one for the last of our covered races at Kempton Park, where Ben Pauling’s Slipway gets a tentative vote over Olly Murphy’s The Wolf. Both have solid claims, with The Wolf having scored in twice in November, but did look a bit flat-footed when last seen at Carlisle. Slipway, last year’s winner in this race has, by contrast, seemed to be on the up, winning a Novices’ Hurdle around here last month to suggest he’s returning to form. The Doyen Chief has been running well without winning this year, and that’s the three to fight this out, with Slipway edging the vote.

The Mandarin