The Mandarin’s Sunday Selections for 27th August 2023

The Mandarin’s Sunday Selections from Deauville, Goodwood & Naas

Deauville

Barriere Prix du Meautry (Group 3) 1.33
Garrus (nap)
Charlie Hills’ grey has a liking for this course, with two wins and a third place in the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest here in the last two seasons. There’s every chance he can make it three from four returned to this track, and with the excellent Iortiz Mendizabal returning to the saddle can reclaim this Group 3 race he won here in 2021. Easy to back

Barriere Prix Quincey (Group 3) 2.50
The Revenant (nb)
Francis-Henri Graffard holds the key to this Group 3 contest as he drops his eight-year-old in grade. A fine servant to connections, and a perennial visitor to these shores for Ascot’s Champions’ Day, his record there in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes in the last four seasons reading, second, first, fourth and seventh. Lightly raced this term, exclusively at Saint-Cloud, so should be more than capable of winning at this level if all the ability still remains. The one to beat

Lucien Barriere Grand Prix de Deauville (Group 2) 3.25
Junko
Andre Fabre’s four-year-old was an impressive winner here three weeks ago, forging clear in the final furlong, and should take the step up to a Group 2 in his stride. That said, there was plenty of cut in the ground for that Group 3 contest, so has to prove he’s equally as effective on a faster surface. If not there’s a couple lining up here that could capitalise on that weakness, not least Haya Zark who has form on better ground. Junko gets the vote, with Haya Zark the one to make a race of it

Goodwood

Darley Maiden Filles’ Stakes 4.10
Cherry
The chance is taken on Ralph Beckett’s Cherry, who came second best to William Haggas’s Sea Theme at Doncaster last time out. However, that now looks a decent piece of franked form with that rival going in again at York on Friday, so she’s taken to break the maiden tag here. With Ralph Beckett sending out winners for fun, a decent draw in stall 4, and Rossa Ryan on the reins, there’s lots to like. Go close

Naas

Tally-Ho Stud irish EBF Ballyogan Stakes (Group 3) (Fillies & Mares) 3.15
Ocean Jewel
A tale of two Oceans as Ocean Quest and Ocean Jewel renew rivalries for this Group 3 contest. This pair followed home The Antarctic in the Goffs Lacken Stakes here in May, with Ocean Quest just half a length ahead of the selection. While Ocean Quest then took an impressive fourth in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, Ocean Jewel stayed on home soil to land the Ballycorus Stakes at Leopardstown. Not much to choose between them, and closely related being both by Sioux Nation, but Ocean Jewel gets the vote to reverse the Lacken Stakes placings

The Mandarin