The Mandarin’s Sunday Selections for 12th January 2025

The Mandarin’s Sunday Selections from Punchestown

Sky Bet Build A Bet Beginners Chase 12.25
Shantou Princess
A tricky opener for Punchestown’s Sunday card, but Gavin Cromwell’s Shantou Princess can make a winning start over fences. He won a big field handicap hurdle here the last day, and although the ground’s going to be a bit deeper here, every chance of the course double if taking to fences. Keith Donoghue is in charge and there’s no better pair of hands to guide Shantou Princess round here. Big chance.

Sky Bet, For The Fans Novice Chase (Grade 3) 12.55
Down Memory Lane (nap)
The first of the Pattern races looks a straight showdown between stablemates Farren Glory, Down Memory Lane and Search For Glory. A case can be made for all three, but the winner is sure to come from one of Gordon Elliott’s trio with stable form at Willie Mullins’s Closutton base certainly in question. The Cullentra yard team can take this with Down Memory Lane, who didn’t seem to measure the fences right when push came to shove in the closing stages of the Henry VIII at Sandown Park the last day, but returned to home soil looks the pick of Gordon Elliott’s three. Farren Glory hasn’t quite lived up to his promise over fences yet, while Search For Glory might be wanting further, so Down Memory lane can score over this longer trip.

Sky Bet Extra Places Every Day Amateur National Handicap Chase 1.55
Nine Graces
This wide open Handicap Chase for the Amateur riders can go to Barry Connell’s Nine Graces. With this step up in trip likely to suit, and less emphasis on speed on what’s going to be soft going after Saturday’s thaw, Finian Maguire just need to keep Nine Graces away from any trouble to lose the maiden tag over fences. Daily Present rates the danger with Jack Hendrick taking off a useful 7lbs, but Nine Graces should be closely matched and gets our vote.

Sky Bet Club Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle (Grade 2) 2.25
Relieved Of Duties
A fascinating renewal where we’ll stick our necks out and take a chance on Gordon Elliott’s Relieved Of Duties. This Sholokhov gelding has been steadily progressive in three starts since coming out of Points to the Cullentra yard, and while there’s been plenty of noise about Willie Mullins’s Salvator Mundi, the ante-post favourite for the Supreme Novices’ at the Cheltenham Festival, Relieved Of Duties looks a cracking each-way angle to take on the jolly. Kel Histoire completes the shortlist, but Relieved Of Duties could spring the surprise, while an exotic looks a tempter.

Sky Bet Acca Freeze Maiden Hurdle 2.55
A Dream To Share (nb)
The winner of both the Champion Bumpers at the 2023 Cheltenham and Punchestown Festivals, A Dream To Share can shed the maiden tag over timber here. His return to the track at Fairyhouse after a nine month lay off was as good as could be expected, finishing a two and a half length fifth, and he’s entitled to come on for that run. The re-opposing Don’tstopthemusic was just a length ahead, though does line up here 4lbs better off but can make a race of it, while Willie Mullins’s Kappa Jy Pyke is also noted. A Dream To Share to deliver on all the promise over hurdles, with Mark Walsh trusted to get the job done.

The Mandarin