The Mandarin’s Saturday Selections for 30th November 2024

The Mandarin’s Saturday Selections from Newbury, Newcastle & Fairyhouse

Newbury

Play Coral ‘Racing-Super-Series’ For Free Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (Listed) 12.07
Listentoyourheart
The opener on Newbury’s Hennessey card can to to Dan Skelton’s Listentoyourheart. She’s two from two since being sent over timber, and had plenty left under the bonnet when scoring by 8 lengths over course and distance three weeks ago. More cut in the ground here, which will suit main rival Jubilee Alpha, but Listentoyourheart looks potentially smart, so gets the vote.

Coral Peter O’Sullevan Memorial Handicap Chase 12.40
Highstakesplayer
No match for Chianti Classico at Ascot on his seasonal reappearance, but Tom Lacey’s eight year old showed all the talent remained when scoring at Kempton in April. Having missed all of 2023, it was a good return to action, although was pulled up here next time out on heavy ground. Twinjets ran well here three weeks ago to finish a 2 length runner-up, but might find this ground too deep, so Demnat from Venetia Williams’s in-form yard rates the main danger. Highstakesplayer to resume progress chasing with trip and conditions to suit.

Coral ‘We’re Here For It’ Novices’ Hurdle 1.15
The New Lion
Dan Skelton’s The New Lion looked one to note when bolting up at Chepstow last month, finishing strongly under a hands and heels ride. All six lining up here won last time out, so it’s a real cracker on paper, but The New Lion wasn’t stretched at all in that Chepstow race, and with more soft ground here at Newbury can be expected to come on. Recent Kempton winner Califet En Vol will be the one to put up a fight, but The New Lion gets the nudge.

Coral ‘Daily Rewards Shaker’ Handicap Hurdle 1.54
Impose Toi
Last seen finishing a fine third in the Lanzarote Hurdle at Kempton back in January, Impose Toi is the one to follow here. He goes well fresh, and still looks on a workable mark, so with Nicky Henderson in super form and James Bowen getting the leg-up, plenty of boxes ticked. Paul Nicholls sends out Inthewaterside, who has had a wind-op, and also goes well fresh, while Nigel Twiston-Davies Guard The Moon completes the shortlist. Impose Toi to score in the green and gold.

Coral Racing Club Intermediate Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) 2.25
Queens Gamble
An interesting return to hurdles for Nicky Henderson’s Jericho Du Reponet, who looked a good prospect when winning his first three starts over timber. However, he was pulled up in the Supreme Novices’ at the Cheltenham Festival, when the Seven Barrows handler clearly had something amiss in the yard, and is now on a bit of a retrieval mission after failing to fire over fences at Sandown Park. Given that risk, it could pay to side with Harry Derham’s Queens Gamble, who won all three starts for this yard when moving from Oliver Sherwood, while the prolific Salver will relish these conditions, and makes a fascinating each-way angle.

Coral Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (Grade 3) 3.00
Senior Chief
The feature can go back to Ireland with Senior Chief, who won well at Cheltenham last month and is less exposed than some of these. He’s got to shoulder a penalty for that win, but with form on ground with plenty of cut in it should be in the frame once again. The Hennessey, as it’s fondly known, is always a pretty competitive affair, so there’s plenty with decent chances, not least Broadway Boy, who finished third to Senior Chief at Cheltenham, and Victtorino who is out of Venetia Williams in-form yard, while Kandoo Kid saves his best for Newbury and cannot be discounted. Senior Chief to defy the penalty and land the Hennessey.

Coral ‘Pipped-At-The-Post’ And Win Handicap Chase 3.35
Etalon (nb)
Harry Skelton didn’t push Etalon hard after a mistake four out cost his chance in the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter earlier this month, and he gets another roll of the dice here. He’s got to line up from the top of the weights, but should come on for that first start since April, but the conditions will suit and the stable is in fine fettle. Harry Skelton is riding out plenty of winners, and can cap off a good day on Etalon here.

Newcastle

BetMGM Fighting Fifth Hurdle (Grade 1) 2.10
Mystical Power (nap)
A chip off the old block is Mystical Power, with no mistaking that broad head of his fantastic dam, Annie Power. Whether he’s going to turn out to be as good as his brilliant mother remains to be seen, but he’s started the right way, only suffering one defeat, at the hands of Slade Steel in the Supreme Novices’ at the Cheltenham Festival in March. That said, there’s been plenty of money going down on Sir Gino this week, and after winning all three starts over timber last term it’s easy to see the attraction of Nicky Henderson’s young star. Sam Thomas’s Lump Sum completes a quality shortlist in the absence of Harry Derham’s Brentford Hope, but Mystical Power stands out as something special.

Fairyhouse

EasyFix Equine Handicap Chase (Listed) 12.45
Visionarian
This Listed Handicap Chase can go to Gavin Cromwell’s Visionarian. Last seen down the field in the Grade 1 Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal, he has a lot less on his plate here and should be able to defy top-weight to collect this valuable prize. Gordon Elliott’s American Mike didn’t find much for pressure when sixth of eighteen in a Grade 3 at Navan two weekends back, so course and distance winner, Uncle Phil might pose the biggest threat to the selection. Visionarian to go in for Gavin Cromwell.

WillowWarm Hurdle (Grade 3) 1.55
Kala Conti
This should be a straight duel between Gordon Elliott’s Kala Conti and Gavin Cromwell’s Bottler’s Secret. Bottler’s Secret will hope the ground is deep enough to be seen at his best, while Kala Conti will have no such worries, with form on good and soft going. British raider Givemefive has form over Bottler’s Secret from their recent clash at Cheltenham, so can also make the frame, but Kala Conti won a handicap at Down Royal four weeks ago, and a repeat of that should gift her this.

Close Brothers Rated Novice Hurdle 2.30
Stormbreaker
Recruited from James Fanshawe’s yard to Willie Mulins’s poerful Closutton stable, Stormbreaker didn’t waste much time to lose the maiden tag over timber, going in at the second time of asking. This Procunsul gelding stayed 2 miles on the flat, and should see out this two and a half mile trip, with Gordon Elliott’s Disco Dancer and Barry connell’s Apple’s Of Bresil likely to makes a race of it. Stormbreaker to double the tally over timber.

The Mandarin