The Mandarin’s Sunday Selections for 28th July 2024

The Mandarin’s Sunday Selections from Deauville & Pontefract

Deauville

Prix Rothschild (Group 1) (Fillies & Mares) 2.50
Mqse De Sevigne (nap)
Andre Fabre holds the key to Deauville’s feature with Mqse De Sevigne. Owned by the family that sponsor this Group 1, this daughter of Siyouni is the one they will all take aim at, but she should prove too classy for this field. A winner of both her starts at ParisLongchamp this season, both on soft ground, conditions look ideal, and she can take her second Group One this term after just edging out Horizon Dore in the Prix d’Ispahan back in May. That form has been franked too, with Horizon Dore finishing a fine third to Auguste Rodin in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot last month. Irish raider Rogue Millennium and home hope Blue Rose Cen will be in the mix, but Mqse De Sevigne is the one to follow

Prix de Cabourg (Group 3) 3.25
Columnist
British raider Columnist can make the trip across the Channel worthwhile in this Group 3. This Ardad colt was in the lead at the two furlong pole in the Group 2 Superlative Stakes last time out, before Charlie Appleby’s Ancient Truth proved too strong in the later stages, but these are calmer waters and he looks the pick of these. Andre Fabre’s Apollo Fountain won’t be minding these sapping conditions, so rates the main threat, but Columnist gets the nudge in this grade

Prix de Psyche Sky Sports Racing (Group 3) (Fillies) 4.00
Uluru
Joseph O’Brien’s Uluru caught the eye when a fast finishing third in the Sandringham Stakes last time out, and can put some Black Type in the form book here. That Fillies’ Handicap at Royal Ascot was over a mile, so this step up to 10 furlongs is a logical step considering the pace she showed in the closing stages. Rose Jaipur will find this an easier task than the Group 2 Prix Eugene Adam she last contested, but Uluru can make the trip over from Ireland worthwhile

Prix Six Perfections Sky Sports Racing (Group 3) (Fillies) 4.35
Angeal
Christopher Head’s Angeal can take this Fillies Group 3, chiefly at the expense of British raider Royalty Bay. She’s unbeaten after two starts, showing plenty of toe to take the Prix Amber Rama at Saint-Cloud back in June, and now moves into Pattern company. John & Sean Quinn’s Kodiac filly, Royalty Bay, lines up after landing a Class 2 contest at York, and should give the selection the most to think about if coping with conditions here at Deauville. Angeal to make it three from three

Pontefract

British EBF Stallion Studs Maiden Fillies’ Stakes 2.12
River Seine
Karl Burke’s topically named River Seine can score in Pontefract’s opener. It’s just a select field of four, where a case can be made for any of them, but River Seine makes plenty of appeal after a decent second in a Restricted Novice Stakes at York last month. This is a significant drop in grade, so Karl Burke can bring another one of his Juvenile string along here. Glamour Show rates the obvious danger, with Eve Johnson Houghton doing so well with her youngsters, but River Seine gets the vote

Sky Bet Pomfret Stakes (Listed) 3.12
Embesto (nb)
This Listed contest can go to Roger Varian’s Embesto, whose fine third in the Summer Mile at Ascot is the best piece of form on offer here. A couple of rungs down the ladder from that Group 2 assignment, this Roaring Lion colt holds the bragging rights in this grade, and wouldn’t have to improve much from the last run to score here. Roger Varian is on a high after tasting top level success at Royal Ascot, so Embesto is the one to beat

The Mandarin