The Mandarin’s Sunday Selections for 21st April 2024

The Mandarin’s Sunday Selections from Wincanton & The Curragh

Wincanton

Stay & Spa At The Eastbury Handicap Hurdle 1.57
Irish Hill
Paul Nicholls is double-handed here with Irish Hill and Sabrina. The ready preference is for Irish Hill, who finished third in a Class 2 contest at Kempton Park last month and has less on his plate here, despite shouldering top weight. Sabrina is a course and distance winner and Freddie Gingell has a 5lb claim, so this Yeats mare can be expected to improve for her last run here after a three month break. Cheekpieces are on Sabrina to aid the concentration, but Irish Hill is the one to follow

Royal Bath And West Show Maiden Hurdle 2.32
Mirabad
This looks a good chance for Mirabad to shed the Maiden tag over timber. Useful on the flat in France, this Gleneagles gelding is now housed with Dr Richard Newland, and more can be expected after not seeing out the trip on his hurdling bow, pulling keenly and with some jumping errors. More to come, and the one to beat if settling better

Royal Bath And West Show Maiden Hurdle 3.02
Golden Move
Sold out of Richard Fahey’s yard after winning one of eight starts on the flat, this Golden Horn gelding is in top hands at Paul Nicholls’s Ditcheat yard. He cost a pretty penny in that move, and went well for a long way on his stable debut, so can improve for that first run. Harry Cobden back up top and Golden Move can lose the Maiden tag here

Season Close Open NH Flat Race 4.37
Celtic Dino (nb)
The closer can go to Sam Thomas’s Celtic Dino, chiefly at the expense of Jackpot Des Bordes, lining up for Paul Nicholls. Celtic Dino won his first Bumper at Ascot before a solid third in a Listed contest back at the Berkshire track, showing a game attitude at the front. Dropped in grade to a Class 5, this looks a whole lot easier, so Celtic Dino to score

The Curragh

Irish Stallion Farms EBF Race 1.50
Treasure Isle
Aidan O’Brien’s No Nay Never colt can make a winning start to his career in this Juvenile contest. The first of the Ballydoyle two year olds to be sent out from that yard, Treasure Isle is well related and can be expected to be bang there from Stall 3. Ryan Moore can steer Treaure Isle home, with Donnacha O’Brien’s Irish Acclamation looking the best of the rest

Keadeen Hotel Irish EBF Maiden 2.25
Whistlejacket (nap)
A full brother to the Phoenix Stakes winner Little Big Bear, there will be plenty of excitement over Whistlejacket’s debut under rules. His smart sibling won four of his five starts as a Juvenile, including the Group 1 Phoenix on this track, so Whistlejacket has plenty to live up to. Not the ideal draw out wide in Stall 8, but Ryan Moore should get the best out of him. Interesting

Lester Piggott Gladness Stakes (Listed) 4.00
Yosemite Valley
Donnacha O’Brien’s Shamardal colt shaped as though this 7 furlong trip will suit when running on late at Cork last month over 6 furlongs. He’s done most of his racing here at Headquarters, and won’t mind ground this deep, which is the problem for main rival Jumbly, who is classy but might want a quicker surface. Big Gossey is useful on his day too, so these are the one-two-three with Yosemite Valley the pick of them

The Mandarin