The Mandarin’s Sunday Selections for 15th October 2023

The Mandarin’s Sunday Selections from Sha Tin, Naas & Goodwood

Sha Tin

Sha Tin Trophy (Group 2) 09.05
California Spangle
A brilliant clash in store between California Spangle and Beauty Eternal, with the former getting the nod. There’ll be no surprise about the tactics employed by Hugh Bowman on California Spangle if he can get a decent track position from Stall 10, get to the front and try to run the finish out of Beauty Eternal. The fly in the ointment is that California Spangle has to give Beauty Eternal a whopping 12lbs to add to the unfavourable stall draw, but there’s every chance the rising star of Hong Kong racing can assert his dominance here. California Spangle to start his season well, with Beauty Eternal and Circuit Stellar to chase him home

Naas

Tifrums Irish EBF Maiden (Colts & Geldings) 1.40
Il Pellegrino (nap)
Joseph O’Brien will be hoping that his No Nay Never colt can go one better than his second on his debut under rules at The Curragh. He got a bit overheated in the stalls before that run, so should be more professional about the preliminaries this time around. He beat the re-opposing Emperor Of Rome in that race on soft ground, and there’s no reason to expect a reversal of those placings if Il Pellegrino settles better. This pair look like the one-two, with Il Pellegrino getting the nod

Irish Stallion Farms EBF Garnet Stakes (Listed) (Fillies & Mares) 2.50
Honey Girl
With Joseph O’Brien’s yard in fine nick, the winner of this Listed contest should be coming from one of his three lining up. Honey Girl looks the most persuasive, having plenty of form on soft ground, and with a staying-on fifth last time out in the 7 furlong Fairy Bridge Stakes, this step up to a mile looks a logical move. That race was won by the re-opposing Clever And Cool, form well franked by the runner-up, Matilda Picotte going in at Newmarket on Friday. Clever And Cool rates the danger, alongside course and distance winner, Didn’thavemuchtodo, but stablemate Honey Girl gets the nudge

Irish Stallion Farms EBF Bluebell Stakes (Listed) (Fillies & Mares) 3.25
Goodie Two Shoes (nb)
Goodie Two Shoes goes to post here after a cosy win at Killarney over the sticks, and should take all the beating here with form at this trip. Another coming out of Joseph O’Brien’s yard, this Fastnet Rock filly has won three of her five starts on the flat, and should be adding to the tally if coping with this deeper ground. Dermot Weld’s Azazat rates the best of the rest, and these two can sort out who lands this Listed prize

Colm White Bookmaker November Handicap (Premier Handicap) 5.10
Immelmann
Willie Mullins has a terrific record in these valuable Handicaps, so it’s always worth a second glance at his runners. This time, it may pay to side with Immelmann, who goes to post here fresh from a win at Thurles ten days ago. This German bred gelding has plenty of form at this trip, and looks too temptingly handicapped to ignore. Super each-way value for this unexposed type

Goodwood

Inkerman London Handicap 4.45
Kathab
William Haggas may hold the answer to this valuable Handicap with Kathab, who can go one better than his second at Kempton last time out. That said, this softer going is an unknown, but he’s a Kingman gelding so could well cope with the cut here. Thunder Ball was in the mix right until the final furlong in the Cambridgeshire last time out, so has to enter calculations, but Kathab is given the tick

The Mandarin