The Mandarin’s Saturday Selections for 27th July 2024

The Mandarin’s Saturday Selections from York & Ascot

York

Sky Bet York Stakes (Group 2) 3.15
Alflaila (nap)
No match for Auguste Rodin in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot last month, but he won this last year, and can go in again. A winner of six of his fifteen starts, that Group One at Ascot was his first run of this season, and he can be expected to be sharper for that this time out. Sir Michael Stoute’s Passenger looks the danger, having set a course record when taking the Huxley Stakes at Chester on his seasonal reappearance, but they are closely matched on ratings, and due to meet again next month back here. King’s Gambit completes the shortlist, but Alflaila can defend his title

Sky Bet Club EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes 4.00
Beauty Queen
The chance is taken on Kevin Ryan’s Beauty Queen to land this Fillies’ Novice Stakes, before retuning here next month for a crack at the Lowther. Despite a tardy start on her racecourse debut at Beverley, she soon pestered the leaders and made progress to hit the front before the furlong pole, winning pretty cosily in the end. More to come, and in good hands, so this Soldier’s Call filly looks the one to follow, with Roger Varian’s Spherical to keep her honest

Ascot

Sodexo Live! Princess Margaret Stakes (Group 3) (Fillies) 1.50
Simmering
Ollie Sangster can take this Fillies’ Group 3 with Simmering. Noted as an each-way angle in these pages for the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot last month, Jamie Spencer gave her a brilliant ride, only to be winged by hot favourite Fairy Godmother in the dying strides. This looks a good opportunity to get off the mark, with the notable booking of Ryan Moore adding to the appeal. Sure to be high on the list of likely types, this Too Darn Hot filly has to see off Andrew Balding’s Handcuffed, and Ralph Beckett’s Tales Of The Heart, but has a huge chance of putting Pattern form in the book. Go close

Longines Valiant Stakes (Group 3) (Fillies & Mares) 2.25
Friendly Soul
The unbeaten Devoted Queen is sure to be top of the pops for this Fillies & Mares Group 3, but Friendly Soul can spring the surprise. It’s easy to draw a line through her run in the Musidora at York, where she was turned out just 10 days after scoring in the Pretty Polly at Newmarket, losing her chance when running too keenly and hanging right. John & Thady Gosden have given her a breather since then, so she can serve it up to Devoted Queen and the improving Soprano, who has young star Billy Loughnane in the hot seat. Quite a deep race for the grade, but Friendly Soul is the one to keep on side

Moet & Chandon International Stakes (Heritage Handicap) 3.00
New Image
The ultra consistent New Image is one to note for this Heritage Handicap, and gets to line up from a very workable mark for David O’Meara. This Frankel colt, sold out of Ger Lyons yard when sporting Juddmonte silks, missed all of 2023, but has returned to the track better than ever this season, with three wins from six starts, including on turf. Michael Bell’s Carrytheone, and Newmarket scorer Aalto head the list of dangers, but something seems to have clicked now with New Image, who is a solid each-way chance for this big Handicap

King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes (Group 1) 3.40
Auguste Rodin (nb)
It is hard to look beyond the appeal of Aidan O’Brien’s Auguste Rodin for the feature. This Deep Impact colt won the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at the Royal meeting last month, and has a CV that includes six wins at Group One level, a form book that lists wins in the Derby, the Irish Derby, the Irish Champion Stakes, the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita and that latest Group 1 here. That said, Auguste Rodin can have the odd off day, so comes with risks attached, and may explain why this stable star hasn’t been a long odds-on shot in the ante-post markets. If there’s any chance of him not being in the mood, then Charlie Appleby’s Rebel’s Romance and Ralph Beckett’s progressive Bluestocking will be waiting in the wings. Oisin Murphy will dig deep on the progressive Middle Earth, so he also comes into the reckoning, but Auguste Rodin, if at his best, is very hard to oppose. Fascinating

The Mandarin